Album Reviews

The world of music is in a constant state of renewal and expansion. As listeners, we crave an experience that expands our musical palette, daring us to step beyond the borders of the familiar and into uncharted territories. The thrill lies in unearthing a unique sound, one that compels us …

Gilded notes glisten in the echo of a gentle melody that leads us into “Ooh La La,” the new single from pop songstress Carly Hanley. Like raindrops pelting against a solemn dry patch of earth, the melody slowly mellows the hardened, silent backdrop until everything is melting under the warm …

Not every rock song is defined by its guitar parts, but in a larger-than-life work like that of Greg Hoy’s new single “Comfort Vendetta,” they’re at the heart of every explosive moment in the track. Hoy gives a stellar performance behind the mic in “Comfort Vendetta” that doesn’t require adept …

A groove has the power to shape an entire song. From the mood to the very tone in which it’s delivered, the beat plays a role in making the new single from Battle Tapes, “Brand New,” as beastly as it can be, and I must say, it’s quite the monster …

Smilez melds more pop elements than he does hard hip-hop rhymes in his new single “I Hate My Ex,” but while his lyrical wit is certainly something that should feel like the proper showcase here, it’s hardly the only reason why I would recommend serious rap fans give the track …

Simple lyrics and untold melodies from a pair of artists who know their way around a beat or two – that’s essentially what Honey and Blue’s “All in My Head” is made of, and yet it feels as stacked to the brim with charisma as a song can be on …

Vili V’s “Tupelo Rhythm” isn’t shy about trumpeting its musical debts. He’s an artist who wears his influences on his sleeve. The rough-hewn guitars, spot-on drumming, and robust vocals burning bright in this song are enough to put it over the top, but he adds a little extra fairy dust …

Silent Skies’ Dormant is the third release from the highly praised duo of pianist/composer Vikram Shankar and Tom S. Englund. The pair are renowned for their work with other musical outfits; Englund with the band Evergrey and Shankar with acts such as Lux Terminus and Redemption. Their partnership under the Silent Skies banner, however, affords them …

Jonah Leatherman, the enigmatic sonic craftsman hailing from the heartland of Indiana, has unveiled his latest creation Ensuring My Uncertainty. The very title of this record serves as a poignant harbinger of the emotional terrain we are about to traverse. Leatherman’s offering beckons us to grapple with the ineffable uncertainties that pervade …

Rob Equiza is currently touring in support of his latest release, Refugees, having just now completed the second gig of a three-night stint in Calbayog City, Samar. Since debuting in 2006, Equiza’s brand of rough-hewn, melodic indie rock, strewn across a wealth of band, solo, and collaborative efforts, has earned …

Erupting like a stadium rocker in the style of classic chest-beating bands like Led Zeppelin but quickly shaped into something too grungy and disobedient to live by the disciplined rules of metal, it’s obvious from the first couple of seconds we hear in The Dead Daisies’ “Make Some Noise” forward …

In what feels like an AOTY-worthy moment for indie rock fans everywhere, The One Eighties deliver a new record this summer that has left me on the edge of my seat from my very first spin. Appropriately named Minefields, The One Eighties’ most recent affair is hardly another entry in a …