Album Reviews

A lot of critics will tell you that concept albums do better without any singles, mostly because it’s too difficult to cut something as ambitious and still live by the traditional rules of pop music, but clearly, these same critics didn’t see someone like acclaimed rapper Mr. Reaper coming up …

You don’t have to come at a verse with as much aggression as a man can muster when you’ve got the natural presence Bardastar has in his new single and music video “Wishing on a Star” this September, and to me, his is an attitude that has been sorely missed …

Against the strumming of clean electric guitar strings that emit as much warmth and comfort as her vocal will, singer SevvTheArtist lives up to her moniker quite profoundly in the new single and music video “Sunshine,” currently out wherever sophisticated indie R&B is sold and streamed. Her attitude is one …

Built like a classic club track but sporting a vulnerable vocal and lyrics to match, there’s a lot of contrast to behold in the new single and music video “Lonely Without You” by Ben E. Davis, but it is this very contrast that makes it one of the more intriguing …

Of all the underground music scenes in the United States, Seattle’s is undoubtedly one of the most profound and well-known. While the city’s rock community has traditionally stolen most of the spotlight away from the other musical acts coming out of the region, lately PNW hip-hop – as alternative and …

Confidence, in a studio recording specifically, starts and ends with presence, and if there’s one thing that singer Harper Starling has going for her in spades this autumn it’s presence when she’s belting out a verse. Her new single, the enchanting and danceable “No More What If,” challenges us to …

Sam Fender reigns as one of the biggest names in the British indie rock scene right now, which was heightened by the massive success of his debut album, Hypersonic Missiles in 2019. It seemed as though everywhere you went, there was his album with his brooding face plastered across the …

Virginia Beach post-hardcore band Emerge Restless has just released their debut album, Ursus Maritimus on Sonic Decoy Records. The band consists of former In Cynthia’s Diary members Eley (Vocals), Chris Coykendall (Guitar/Bass/Vocals), and Rich Potts (Guitar/Bass/Vocals). After a long hiatus, the group brought in long-time friend Vincent Kondas (Drums) to …

Stefan Kristinkov’s Clarinet Vibe is a glittering example of instrumental excellence. This excellent musician and composer surrounds himself with comparable talents on this five track EP and serves listeners thoroughly accessible fare despite his considerable skills. He’s well versed in classical, post-modernism, Eastern European minimalism, and jazz so there’s little he …

Same Mistake” by Pinder We start slowly in the progressive pop masterpiece “Same Mistake” by Pinder, a harmony-focused mix guiding the lyrics with a tasteful indulgence any pop lover is bound to become entranced by. The instrumental foundations are simple, the verse rather pastoral, but the romantic energy these elements …

Hamid J has unleashed a soulful 80’s tinged new single, “Nothin’ Perfect 2 Say.” He has a pretty, breathy, captivating voice that works well with the emotion pulsing through the lyrics. The song paints a picture of a collapsed relationship, one person totally mentally checked out and the other person …

Singer, songwriter, playwright, novelist, storyteller – these are a few labels applicable to Shannon Denise Evans, otherwise known as lead vocalist for the band Savarre. The single “Blood Under the Bridge” touches on her wide array of influences, covering everyone from Peter Green-era Fleetwood Mac, Fiona Apple, and Queens of …