Jupiter in Velvet - The One in the Many URL: https://jupiterinvelvet.com/ Iconoclasts stand out. In our world of cookie cutter pop stars with the shelf life of vegetable, the performer/songwriter who writes vibrant material referencing influences while still blazing its own path is increasingly a rarity. American born and UK based Jupiter in Velvet culls from a handful of influences to fashion a distinctive and varied musical attack with an unwavering melodic base. His guitar pyrotechnics seem inexhaustible – they spark, crackle, soar, and growl, but they never fail to find room to sing. His vocals are, likewise, always on the money. Jupiter in Velvet isn’t any sort of Pavarotti, but his voice has remarkable elasticity and inhabits each of the album’s ten songs with tremendous verve and personality. The production highlights each song’s individual strengths in thrilling ways and has undeniable warmth.
Bob Lien - Color of Sky URL: https://www.boblien.com/ Color of Sky is very much in the Americana tradition, but it reaches ambitiously beyond that for a synthesis of dreamy folk music coupled with vibrant string arrangements. The collision of styles creates truly imaginative musical fireworks but there isn’t a single component in any track keyed to overwhelm listeners. This tastefulness extending over the course of Color of Sky’s ten songs never wavers and is part and parcel of high level artistry reaching far beyond the purview of typical recordings in the folk song idiom. The production job courtesy of Cyrus Rhodes does a remarkable job of bringing all of these parts into seamless interplay with each other – nothing sounds disjointed or out of place and, instead, there is a consistency of sound and approach that complements the material and Lien’s bell-clear vocals.
Angie and the Deserters - Blood Like Wine URL: https://www.angieandthedeserters.com/ This is rough and ready music for passionate people. Angie and the Deserters won’t let you set on the fence – they win listeners over with a rare combination of intelligence, torrid emotion, and outright musical virtuosity. The songwriting on their latest release, Blood Like Wine, is smart without ever flying over the head of its intended audience, but it also does an excellent job of capturing the intensity of the lives lived out in vocalist Angie Bruyere’s lyrical content. The band is obviously top shelf in every way, but much like the lyrical content, their obviously extensive skill set never gets in the way of their central mandate – communicating and moving their audiences in some small, but significant, way. Bruyere’s vocals are key to this and the production does an excellent job without ever losing the important musical adventure going on around her. It’s an EP and, naturally, a relatively brief collection, but it accomplishes much in a condensed amount of space.
The Ann Wilson Thing - Focus #2 (EP) URL: https://www.theannwilsonthing.com/ It’s bracing to hear artists from Ann Wilson’s generation who truly embody the phrase age is just a number. No talk here about Ann defying her age. The same passion and skill defining her career is in full effect on her latest solo release, an EP entitled Focus #2. Wilson is not bashful about acknowledging her influences and admiration for contemporaries. Focus #2 features a little of that with her covers of Jimi Hendrix and Peter Gabriel. Both are stellar, but the real attraction for long time Wilson fans likely lies in the two new original compositions featured on the release. The four tracks compromising Focus #2 are recorded with great care and the live songs, both of the covers, do fantastic jobs of capturing a wildly supportive live audience who Wilson and her band clearly feed off of. This is a release that doesn’t deserve to fly under your radar despite its relatively brief link – every song here is a home run.
Project Grand Slam - The Queen’s Carnival
URL: https://projectgrandslam.com/
Typically operating as five piece, Project Grand Slam, led by bassist and composer Robert Miller, plays like a much larger band. They have somehow managed to balance a muscular sound while maintaining a firm control over the material and never pushing anything to an overwrought level. The production on their fourth album The Queen’s Carnival is every bit as immaculate as their preceding releases and captures a remarkably live sound despite the occasionally spontaneity crushing atmosphere of a recording studio. Like previous releases, Project Grand Slam maintains a primarily instrumental focus and the album’s eleven tracks never have a moment of filler or run too long. This is a masterfully composed work, never uncertain of itself, and has an overarching sense of construction not typically heard on works from its musical area. In some senses, it is a throwback to the way albums were written and recorded during Miller’s formative years, but Project Grand Slam’s music and presentation are thoroughly modern sounding in every way.
SireCharlieMacFly is a hip hop emcee who dabbles heavily in the soul of R&B. Starting out is “Gas I’m On.” It’s not the most hype track to start out with. It’s got this very relaxed feel to it, like a sensual rhyme fest. We find the life in “Tetris.” No games here, only a great track that still is chill, but you can groove to it. What listeners will like about it is the R&B influence in the musical components. A skit opens up “The Smokers Only,” and we get more of that R&B with this one’s sensuality. Lyrically, you could hear this being the soundtrack to a big time gangster in a blockbuster made about the likes of Suge Knight’s life. You can imagine the slow motion scenes featuring cars, cash and canoodling women. Looking high and low for a track to break the laid back feel, it comes by way of “Serve This Royalty.” However, it’s not like you’re getting a Lil Wayne, hype track here. This is an emcee who never goes ham with it. He takes his time with his rhymes and sounds like he’s in the same class as Fetty Wap. So if you’re into that rising star of 2015, check out the upcoming hitmaker of 2016, and get in touch with SireCharlieMacFly today. (https://www.reverbnation.com/sirecharliemacfly)
Lexxica - “Hearts Collide” URL: https://www.lexxicamusic.com/ Inspired by artists like Demi Lovato and Ellie Goulding, Lexxica is a Los Angeles based singing and songwriting talent with one acclaimed EP under her belt and readying for the highly anticipated release of her second effort. The first single from that release, “Hearts Collide”, is a golden example of EDM music at its finest from an artist capable of exploring the entire spectrum of sounds in that particular genre. Since the release of that debut EP, Lexxica has demonstrated her unwavering commitment to personal development by pursing renowned vocal coach Kim Wood Sandusky. Sandusky has worked with major talents like Beyonce and her introduction into Lexxica’s artistic world has resulted in a quantum leap of her already considerable vocal power. The key addition as a collaborator may prove to be Grammy nominated producer Rusty Varenkamp. Varenkamp has become Lexxica’s chief songwriting partner and enhances things tremendously.
Coming to you you straight out of Blackwood is El Cannon. “Gold” starts things off shining as you can hear his smooth take on delivery. In “Everyday” we continue to have the chilled way with words. He’s like a laid back Ice Cube as he demands attention with his words with a bit of attitude in his voice. We pick things up just a bit with ‘Ridin’ Low." The beat has a bounce to it and here we get some energy from the emcee. Whether he’s taking it slow, or going hard - one thing’s for sure, El Cannon is a pure talent. Check him out today and hear for yourself. (https://soundcloud.com/elcannon)
We got a new emcee to introduce you to, Poppy P. The first track we’d like you to get to know is “Sex is Better…” It’s hip hop with a R&B twist. He doesn’t bust out a vocal performance like Drake would, but the music does allow this one to flow with more soul. From an original to a tribute to the late, great BB King, Poppy P showcases his versatility. Even when he’s got his boy Jay Marq by his side and they’re looking for some love with “Tip Jar,” he shows that he’s not only a great emcee for a showman as well. He can control a crowd and pretty soon will be hitting stages left and right. Check out this rising star today! (https://www.youtube.com/user/poppypmusic)
G37boyz has a double dose for you today. First up, “Look at Them Haters.” This one comes out of the gate with a quick bounce and then gets raw with it. It transforms into this abrupt, in your face track. Its partner in crime is one that keeps that vibe alive and well. Out of the two, it’s the second one “Monsta” that could lead the pair to the top of the game. If you like that Atlanta style hip hop, check out G37boyz now. (https://www.g37boyz.com/)
Right away we have a good time on our hands with GoHard Nard’s “Right Now.” It has a great amount of energy and is reminiscent of what Nelly and his crew would do back in the early 00’s. We slow down the pace with “Everything I Love.” This one has a unique sound that flows more like a conversation rather than a track. It’s the hook that really makes it stick though. We’re taken back with “Boyz In The Hood” and it’s a nice throwback with a new spin that fans of N.W.A will respect. If you’re a fan of emcees that have a chilled way - check out GoHard Nard’s joints now. (https://soundcloud.com/gohardnard)
Born in Pennsylvania, Clifton Dukes started spitting rhymes as a career later on in San Antonio, Texas. Today he resides a ways away from there in Austin. No matter the place though, the talent remains the same. You can hear what he’s made of with just one track. Take “Black Butterfly” for example. You can tell he takes his time to construct not only the lyrics at hand, but the beat to make for a well composed package. He takes his time to get into it with “The Way I Like It,” but when he comes in, he does so smooth and it was well worth the quick wait. While he’s not as mild tempered as Common, he is near that style. Only in the way that he doesn’t deliver a hearty punch, but more of a smooth sailing sort of way with his rhymes. Perhaps he’s more like Lupe Fiasco in that way. You could hear his rhymes taking over college campuses if that’s the case. If you’re a fan of Fiasco, kick and push your way towards Clifton Dukes today. (https://soundcloud.com/cliftondukes)
