Tag Archives: Single Review

Single Review: Kelsey Blackstone – “505”

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cover art by HanFran Studio; image courtesy of Kelsey Blackstone

Single Review of Kelsey Blackstone: “505”

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

photo by Ben Crocker; photo courtesy of Kelsey Blackstone

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

photo by Ben Crocker; photo courtesy of Kelsey Blackstone

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

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

photo by Ben Crocker; photo courtesy of Kelsey Blackstone

Looking Ahead

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

Single Review: The Palms – “Ready or Not”

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photo courtesy of DRPR

Single Review of The Palms: “Ready or Not”

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

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

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

More Recently

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

Looking Ahead

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

Single Review: Speed Limit – “Shine Brighter Than the Sun”

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photo courtesy of NRT-Records

Single Review of Speed Limit: “Shine Brighter Than the Sun” (NRT-Records)

This past fall, Austrian classic heavy metal veterans Speed Limit released the single “Shine Brighter Than the Sun” (with “Destiny’s Calling” as its B side). It was the second single from the band’s June 2023 NRT-Records release Cut a Long Story Short.

Speed Limit – Shine Brighter Than the Sun cover photo

image courtesy of NRT-Records

The current line-up of Speed Limit consists of Chris Pawlak (bass, vocals), Hannes Vordermeyer (drums, lead vocals), Chris Angerer (guitar, vocals), and Joe Eder (guitar, vocals). Pawlak and Angerer have been in the band since its 1986 debut release Prophecy, with Eder also joining the band just a few years into its run. Vordermeyer is a 2107 addition to the Speed Limit line-up.

Single “Shine Brighter Than the Sun” sports heavy, crashing skinswork, serious guitar speed, and edgy-but-tuneful vocals. In true classic metal style, though the beat is pounding and pulsating, there’s a soaring power, and there are moments of guitar shredding that are as likely to be found in progressive rock as in a classic metal song.

photo courtesy of NRT-Records

The single’s B side, “Destiny’s Calling,” features a churning rhythm, a guitar line that’s grindingly steady, a bit of axe virtuosity, and soaring vocals. A fast beat drives the song forward, and prominent heavy metal choir-like backing vocals are featured where appropriate.

Both songs on this two-sided single are fun, energetic listens that would likely be AOR hits during album-oriented heavy-rock’s apex years.

Stylistically, Speed Limit would be an ideal concert pairing with Judas Priest.

photo courtesy of NRT-Records

Looking Ahead

There aren’t a lot of upcoming dates currently listed on Speed Limit’s Bandsintown page. Additionally, the Bandsintown listing appears to populate the “Speed Limit Live” section toward the bottom of the band’s main web page. Both locations list upcoming shows in Graz, Austria on May 3rd and in Salzburg, Austria on October 3rd, 2024. The venues’ websites don’t list those shows, though, so I would suggest checking with the venue box offices to confirm the concert dates and for ticket information.

Single Review: Anders Damås – “Scarecrow & the Acres of Corn”

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Anders Damås – "Scarecrow & the Acres of Corn"

image courtesy of Anders Damås

Single Review of Anders Damås: “Scarecrow & the Acres of Corn”

Anders Damås is a Norwegian bluesman. His most recent single “Scarecrow & the Acres of Corn” is very clearly a thumping, steady blues number of the story-song variety, telling the tale of the “Scarecrow & the Acres of Corn.” But within the blues genre, “Scarecrow…” lies in an almost experimental subgrouping, structured perhaps more as a jazz number might be. Anders’ vocal are more edgy than blue, slicing insistently through the music bed. And there are long stretches that are just instrumental, including a long blues guitar jam toward the end of the song.

It’s a neat song that will grow on you. It has enough unique and unusual features that you may not be quite sure what to make of it at first, but if you give it a few listens, you’ll discover the plethora of nuances in its instrumentation and delivery that will endear it to you before long. You know I like to suggest unique music that brings new, enjoyable angles to familiar music styles… but only if the music is well-done and interesting, which is true, of course, in this instance.

Anders Damås

photo courtesy of Anders Damås

There’s an EP, Too!

Anders released several singles in the last couple of years. He seems to have bundled them up into a 6-track Scarecrow & the Acres of Corn EP. You can listen to the full EP via Spotify. Or you can purchase the EP and related merchandise at Anders’ website. You can also check out the songs individually via the “Discography” page on Anders’ website.

I’ve described the EP’s title track already, but the other five songs on the EP broaden the listening experience through a wide range of other, complementary musical styles: funky and light (“A Traveller’s Story”), funky and heavier (“D’Guineafowl Gumbo”), heavy and haunting, more theatrically progressive bluesy rock than blues (“Empress of the Blues”), low-fi, grinding blues rock (“Riding with the Devil”), and pure, harmonica-infused blues “Nightlife [Dracula’s Song]”).

Liner Notes

There are some interesting details in the notes on Anders’ “Discography” web page. Of interest to regular GWMB readers, Steinar Karlsen, whose Destination Venus album was reviewed by contributor Eric Harabadian in 2021, plays electric baritone guitar on “D’Guineafowl Gumbo.” Meanwhile, Anders provides all of the instrumentation and vocals on three of the songs on the EP. However, on “Scarecrow & the Acres of Corn,” Anders is joined by a full band, with his performance role limited to vocals, drums, and percussion. Interesting details, eh?

Single Review: Evick – “To Whom It May Concern”

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image courtesy of Head First Entertainment

Single Review of Evick: “To Whom It May Concern”

Pete Evick was the guitarist for Some Odd Reason, a band that released the album To Whom It May Concern on Sol 3 Records in 1998. Later, as lead singer of Evick, Pete began to reimagine and rerecord some of the material he had written for Some Odd Reason, including, in 2002, “To Whom It May Concern.” A hard drive crash seemingly lost those re-recordings, but 21 years later, the song has been resurrected and released. Pete chose to use the raw, stripped-down vocals from that original recording for this 2023 single release.

“To Whom It May Concern” begins and ends with the phrase “I used to believe in God,” and it chronicles Pete’s struggles with faith, notably though not exclusively during times of war. Pete’s hoarse, gravelly vocals recall singers like Bret Michaels, with “To Whom…” being particularly reminiscent of Poison’s “Something to Believe In.”

Evick’s “To Whom It May Concern” is rawer than the Some Odd Reason original, enhancing the potency of the song’s emotion. The song begins with just vocals and piano from that 2002 demo, with musical support building and becoming more powerful as the song progresses. There’s also a nifty little guitar solo in a late-song bridge that’s worth noticing.

Pete’s role as the Bret Michaels Band’s guitarist is an interesting coincidence – I didn’t realize that connection when I originally compared Pete’s vocals on this song to Bret’s. Still, you can probably guess how you’ll feel about “To Whom It May Concern” based on your answer to the question “Do you like Poison’s ballads, like ‘Something to Believe In’?” If you do, then this song will be right up your alley.

To stay up-to-date on Pete Evick’s latest goings-on, be sure to follow him on Facebook or Instagram. Or you can visit evick.com, where Pete is selling his books, MTV Famous and The Moments That Make Us.

Single Review: Voodoo Circle – “Sweet Devotion”

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Voodoo Circle

photo courtesy of BJF Media

Single Review of Voodoo Circle: “Sweet Devotion” (AFM Records)

Voodoo Circle is Alex Beyrodt (guitars), David Readman (vocals), Mat Sinner (bass), and Markus Kullman (drums). In December, this rock band marked its 15th anniversary by releasing 15 Years of Voodoo, a “best of” collection that features past favorites plus two brand new tracks. One of two new songs, “Sweet Devotion”, was released as a single a few weeks before the album dropped.

“Sweet Devotion” is a twisting, sidewinder of a rock ‘n roll song, a bit reminiscent in the opening of Aerosmith’s “Sweet Emotion,” primarily the delivery of the “ee” in “sweet,” though the song overall falls into the soaring, screaming subcategory of classic hard rock, exhibiting much more than just a little Whitesnake vibe throughout, sometimes roaring but at other times slowing down and tunefully soaring.

“Sweet Devotion” is a tightly performed, heavy classic rocker, one you’ll definitely want to experience for yourself. For those who haven’t heard of Voodoo Circle, this song will be a great entry point. And for those who have heard the band’s previous albums, “Sweet Devotion” is likely to become a quick favorite.

Looking Ahead

The “tour” page of the band’s website doesn’t list any upcoming dates. Neither does the band’s Facebook page, though that looks a bit more active, so it might be a better way to follow the band.

Single Review: Simon Scardanelli – “Without You – Live in Sanremo”

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Simon Scardanelli – "Without You – Live in Sanremo"

image courtesy of Simon Scardanelli

Single Review of Simon Scardanelli: “Without You – Live in Sanremo”

We’ve reviewed Simon Scardanelli‘s music many times here at the Blog; most recently I reviewed his “Fish Out of Water” single in September.

His newest single, “Without You – Live in Sanremo,” has a cool backstory. SanremoSenior is an international competition for “over 34” solo singers and singer-songwriters. Simon entered “Without You” into the 2023 competition. (You can hear a 2018 studio recording of the song here.) His entry was accepted, so he traveled to Sanremo, Italy in October 2023 for the competition. After a semifinal performance, Simon made it through to the “Grand World Final” where his performance earned him third place in the “over 60” singer-songwriter category at SanremoSenior. “Without You – Live in Sanremo” is a recording of his award-winning performance. (You can see a video of the performance here.)

Simon Scardanelli

photo courtesy of Simon Scardanelli

“Without You” is a song that you can quickly identify as one of Simon’s even if you’ve not heard it before. The live performance is relatively simple, a softly-picked guitar and an emotional voice that sings softly sometimes, cracks with power other times, and quivers just enough to imbue intense feeling into the song at opportune moments. The song has a flowing tempo and an effectively varying vocal pacing that should not be unfamiliar to those who’ve heard a lot of music from his catalog. But even though the music and vocals swoop in an ebb and flow, “Without You” doesn’t contain some of the seemingly ominous overtones that so often accompany the songs Simon delivers in this style – or, at least, those of his songs I associate with this style – resulting in a pleasant listen that’s not simultaneously a little disquieting for a change.

A lot of care was taken to get a studio-quality sound from this festival performance – Simon discusses some of the recording and mixing details on the Bandcamp page for this song. The result is a great song with a bit of live-performance energy, distinguishing it from a studio recording.

Looking Ahead

The “Concerts” page of Simon’s website lists more than a dozen upcoming performances, all in France, beginning with a March 9th performance at Café de La Forge in Guillac and extending through an August 15th gig at Pap ‘Oyo in Plougasnou. You can find additional details at the website; be sure to check back periodically as new shows are added.

And, of course, as Simon never seems to take a break from being creative, he is currently working on a new album.

Single Review: Rachel Stacy – “Empty Glass”

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Rachel Stacy – "Empty Glass"

image courtesy of Triumph Publicity

I’ve been listening to country fiddling phenom Rachel Stacy since before I started this blog.  An MP3 of her song “How’s It Gonna Feel” has been on my phone for more than a decade. (I’d share a link, but I can’t find it online anymore.) Recently, when I heard Rachel’s newest single “Empty Glass,” I immediately reached out to request to review it. So, yeah, I already dug this artist and this single before the song’s many spins in my review queue. With that as a backdrop, let’s get to the review.

Single Review of Rachel Stacy: “Empty Glass”

Rachel Stacy

photo courtesy of Triumph Publicity

“Empty Glass” was penned by Dean Dillon and Gary Stewart in 1988. You can hear the original on Gary Stewart’s 1988 album Brand New. Rachel Stacy’s cover modernizes the song’s sound, removing some of the, with all due respect (because I enjoyed that era of country music), cheesy lounginess of the original by stepping up the tempo and singing it with a grittier edge. The strings class the song up, with the fiddle work playing the role of lead or rhythm guitar at times and completely carrying a bridge. Adding to the end-of-the-night, closing-the-bar-down flavor, Rachel’s voice has a grittiness, as if she has had a rough night and is, indeed, on her last cigarette, staring wearily into an empty whiskey glass. At the appropriate times, though, her vocals soar, occasionally with an anguished power – not exactly a wail, but somewhere in that neighborhood. All told, this arrangement of “Empty Glass” fully utilizes Rachel’s vocal and musical talents. You won’t soon forget her version of this classic song.

If updated, richly-textured, contemporary classic country were a radio staple these days, we’d be hearing this song all over the airwaves already. It’s nice to see the song is charting, apparently reaching some audience; indeed, it deserves to be even more widely heard. If you’re a country music fan who hasn’t yet discovered Rachel Stacy’s music, this song would make a great introduction, after which you’ll certainly want to sample more songs from Rachel’s catalog.

Looking Ahead

You can find Rachel’s various social media accounts and latest links via her linktree.

To be aware of Rachel’s upcoming live performances, periodically check the “Upcoming Shows” page of her website. The site currently lists several shows in and around Dallas from February 29th through March 17th.

The “Events” tab of Rachel’s Facebook page also lists a June 22nd performance at the In The Music Room Studio & Listening Room in Waxahachie, TX. This looks like the sort of small, intimate performance space that would be an ideal place to catch a talented artist.

Those looking for more new music from Rachel will be pleased to learn that her next single, “Three Words,” is scheduled for a March 29th release.

Single Review: Carissa Johnson – “Congratulations”

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Carissa Johnson

photo by Alex Bartole; photo courtesy of Carissa Johnson

Single Review of Carissa Johnson: “Congratulations”

Carissa Johnson is a highly-acclaimed, award-winning singer songwriter-slash-asskicking rock singer. Among Carissa’s more notable awards, she earned a Boston Music Award for Best New Artist in 2017, and she won Rock Act of the Year at the 2019 New England Music Awards. I’m pleased to get a chance to review Carissa’s latest single, “Congratulations,” which showcases her many, varied talents – songwriting, forceful yet tuneful vocal delivery, and, in this case, an engaging sarcastic rock ‘n roll tone: “Congratulations, you lost me good… Now you’ve got what you wanted.” Those lyrics, bookending the chorus, absolutely drip and are delivered exquisitely.

Carissa Johnson – "Congratulations"

Carissa Johnson

On “Congratulations,” Carissa serves up an “I Hate Myself For Loving You” (Joan Jett) edge with the opening guitar riffs, a hint of an Avril Lavigne smirk in the delivery, an insistent tempo reminiscent of Jimmy Eat World, and a strength and power that’s sort of alt-rock meets pop-friendly rock with a punk attitude. All the while, Carissa’s voice serves up a tone that’s all her own, identifying this song as quite specifically a Carissa Johnson number. And that’s what you want as a musician, for people to be able to recognize you within just a few notes. (I mean, yikes, her tone on the lyric “don’t you look behi-i-ind.” Shivers!) It’s helpful from the perspective of a music fan, too, because once you recognize her voice, you know the song’s gonna rock.

Among recent reviews I’ve written, I’d pair Carissa’s music most closely with Phil Jamieson’s, though she’d slip in easily alongside any rock band from alt-rock to classic rock. Among Boston-area rockers, she’d be the hard-edged pop alt-rock equivalent of more straight-ahead rocker Jennifer Tefft.

If the above has piqued your interest, check out “Congratulations” on YouTube (the song starts 48 seconds in, but it’s an amusingly, creatively cool video!), Spotify, bandcamp, or wherever else you consume music.

Carissa Johnson

photo by Alex Bartole; photo courtesy of Carissa Johnson

Looking Ahead

There are currently two dates listed in the “Tour” section of Carissa’s website: Saturday, January 13th with Shy Husky at The Middle East in Cambridge, MA and Friday, January 26th at the Two Bridges Luncheonette in New York, NY. Check back periodically for additional shows, as they’re added. And be sure to follow Carissa on your favorite social media – you can find those and other links on her linktree.

Single Review: Elliott Murphy – “This Christmas I Want Less”

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Elliott Murphy – "This Christmas I Want Less"

photo by Muriel Delepont; image courtesy of Leighton Media

I wasn’t planning to write a Christmas review this year – in part because I’m so backlogged that by the time Christmas songs began to appear in my inbox, I was already booked until February. But I’m feeling a bit of Christmas spirit at the last minute this year – it happens some years, but not every year – and there’s a song that hit my inbox this December that you really should hear and will certainly enjoy. So, without further ado…

Single Review of Elliott Murphy: “This Christmas I Want Less”

Critically-acclaimed singer-songwriter Elliott Murphy checks into this year’s holiday sweepstakes with “This Christmas I Want Less,” a Christmas song about not wanting more stuff in this crazy world. Then again, Murphy recants a bit during the song’s bridge with the pivot “‘Cause I’m clearly at an age where I can really say I’ve had enough. Give it a rest on Christmas Day. Well maybe there’s a few things you could do for me…” and asks Santa if he might have the gift of optimism in his overstuffed bag of presents. (Psst, Elliott, if Santa delivers on nixing the apocalyptic visions, I’d appreciate it if you could direct the jolly old elf my way next.)

Murphy’s voice is deep and convincing, almost Burl Ives-ish, if you need a Christmas reference, but deeper and more coolly rock ‘n roll. I guarantee you took the time to check out this song, with its worthy message and cool strum-and-spoken/sung delivery. I bet it’ll become an annual Christmas favorite.

More Elliott Murphy Info

Murphy’s most recent full-length release, Wonder, dropped in 2022. He also has several shows booked in Europe in 2024. Check out the “Tour” page of his website for dates and locations, plus more performances as they’re added.