Album Reviews

Smoky and angst-ridden, there’s no debating whether or not the lead vocal in Tainted Black’s “Nirvana” is the most evocative feature in the song. One-part throwback to the classic sound of Seattle grunge, another part progressive take on a familiar theme, “Nirvana” doesn’t rely on powerful singing as its only …

Appearing to burst at the seams with color and textures that most pop songs would leave out of the fold altogether, to say Howlin’ Whale’s “Many Lives” is an experimental outing really wouldn’t do its video – nor the song itself – justice. Artists on the eclectic end of the …

In the stony new single “Tadpoles,” Hot Shot Kixxx offers us a sexy cocktail of desert fuzz and eclectic indie rock sure to please the discriminating music fan this May. From the colorful music video for the track to its bass-soaked, funky shifts in tempo, there’s almost nothing about “Tadpoles” …

Rolling into focus with a ripping instrumental harmony, Kailey Nicole gets us started with all the country chills n’ thrills we crave in her new single/video combo “Change My Ways.” Released this past April, “Change My Ways” is a vocal-driven singer/songwriter tune helmed by a country crooner in Kailey Nicole …

On the back of a piano-born harmony as swift in pace as it is smooth in stylization, John Paciga’s “Big Hit Song” hits the ground running with a provocatively addictive rhythm. Coupled with the gentle vocals from Paciga himself, the keys are immediately the most evocative component in the instrumentation …

When Alicia Keys called Trinity Rose’s voice “stunning” in Season 12 of The Voice, it re-affirmed the Beverly, Mass., singer’s talents to the world. Now based in Los Angeles, Calif., the 17-year-old continues to stun with the single “Morning Text”. A voice far beyond her teen years, “Morning Text” is a …

From those first few ominous moments that we come in contact with in the track “Spominiks” forward, there’s scarcely a moment in the new EP from Bloom’s Taxonomy, Bitter Lake, that doesn’t qualify as chilling in some way, shape or form. Neon-colored grooves attack us in a slow-churning style in “Balconies.” …

The first couple of bars that we come in contact with inside of the new single and music video from Ilyah, “Habibi,” are admittedly a little jarring coming off of his last big release, “Miscommunication.” There’s a sharpness to the hue of the harmony we start off with that slowly …

Alongside a brooding beat and a colorful harmony between keys and strings, a velvety voice welcomes us into the melodies of “Tessa” with open arms. One of the more brilliantly smooth tracks featured on the new album from Project Grand Slam, East Side Sessions, “Tessa” is a bold combination of pop …

In a flustered expelling of pessimism in the form of a percussive eruption, Lily Vakili Band’s “Facial Recognition Technology” starts to play. It doesn’t take more than a few seconds for the track to explain in sonic terms just what Vakili has planned for us here; from the glow of …

Opening with a hypnotic synth pad, ‘Why Oh Why’ by Walker’s Cay is immediately panoramic in its presentation. Featuring the band’s trademark guitar tones, the song’s introduction invites the listener to embark upon an epic journey. The sound develops over time, lifted by a psychedelic buzz and grinding rhythm section, …

Back in the 90s, California-based Raw B catalyzed his career as co-host and DJ for the critically acclaimed underground rap-based show Beat Sauce. The show featured notable guest names in hip hop – everyone from Afrikka Bambatta and KRS-ONE to Jay Z and Eminem. As expected, his popularity as a …