Month: May 2017

Single Review: SORICAH – “Waiting”

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I had the pleasure of connecting with the talented young singer/songwriter Soricah when she reached out to me about her music. Now living in Dublin, Ireland, Soricah is of Irish/Mauritian ancestry and spent various times of her childhood and early adulthood living in Ireland, Africa, Mauritius and London. Those rich experiences give her music a unique sound that’s not tied to any one genre, in her words “taking the melodies of Ireland and the Soul of Africa to produce some truly original and captivating music.” She provided the following bio info that gives a good snapshot of her music background:

“Soricah has gigged on the London circuit as a solo artist, and is a former member of the band Rebekah Met Sarah. She has supported musical acts such as The Palma Violet and renowned celloist Jo Quail, and has been a frequent collaborator with members of The Artist Community of Studio 180 and the rich artistic warehouse scene of East London. She has also been featured on a wide variety of different artistic projects and her collaborations have been aired on Freakfm, BBC Radio One and a variety of Irish and international radio stations.”

Soricah

She recently completed recording of her debut EP Let Me Know, planned for release later this year. Her first single from the EP, “Waiting,” was just released on May 11. It’s a beautiful song, with a soothing, languid melody that conjures up images of a beach bathed by tropical breezes, at least to my mind. A distinctive element of the track is the gorgeous cello, played by Gary Molloy, which gives the track a haunting, dreamlike sound. Soricah’s strummed acoustic guitar and smooth, sensuous vocals are complemented by gentle percussion and bass, courtesy of Daniel Doherty.

Both musically and vocally, the song reminds me of Lana Del Ray. The song lyrics speak of intense passion and longing for someone. In her captivating voice, Soricah seductively croons “Come a little closer. Feel my body move. My heart is beating faster, waiting for you. / You take me away into the stars. This is where I’ll stay waiting for you, waiting for you.”

Follow Soricah on Facebook.  Stream “Waiting” on  Spotify or Soundcloud, and purchase on  Bandcamp,  iTunes  or  Amazon.

MICCOLI – EP Review: “1/2”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews4 Comments

I’m back in the UK to shine my spotlight on Miccoli, a wonderful adult alternative/pop band from Birmingham, England. The band is comprised of three talented and strikingly attractive siblings: twin brothers Adriano and Alex Miccoli and their sister Francesca. Adriano plays guitar, Alex plays piano and guitar, and Francesca plays piano and harmonica, and all sing – quite beautifully I must say. In fact, their extraordinary harmonizing vocals are a hallmark of their sublime music style.

They’ve been making music together for many years, but 2017 is turning out to be a break-out year for Miccoli. In February, they released a gorgeous single “Idle Stranger” to rave reviews, and now deliver a lovely four-track EP entitled 1/2 which drops today, May 12. The songs deal with love and relationships, and the challenges they bring. In addition to the smooth vocals, their music features beautiful melodies, soft piano and stellar guitar work that make for an incredibly pleasing listen.

Miccoli

The first track “Idle Stranger” is a bittersweet plea for someone to not toy with your affections, acting like they love you but unable to fully commit: “So hear me now cause I don’t wanna be loved by you, if you’are gonna be an idle idle idle stranger. I’ve told you now cause I don’t wanna feel love like this cause you will always be an idle idle idle stranger.” The intricate, layered guitar work is exceptional, and nicely paired with gentle piano and percussion.  The beautiful video produced for the song was filmed in Venice.

The emotionally-charged “Undo” speaks to a loved one who’s slipping away from the relationship: “Every time that I get close to you, you’re a world away and I just can’t get through. All you do all you do is try, to undo. But this heart beats for you.” The track starts off slowly, with a gentle strummed guitar and Miccoli’s soft vocals, then breaks open with an assertive drum beat and lots of fantastic layered guitars.

“Lights” is a lovely song with a catchy melody and hopeful lyrics: “Cause when the lights go out and I’m all alone, and I feel like there’s nowhere to turn, I will close my eyes and I’ll think of you. ‘Cause you are every beat of my heart.” The jangly guitars on this track are especially nice. The band just released a great new video for the song that was filmed in Las Vegas, famed for its lights and thus perfectly suited for the track.

The final track “Devices” is breathtakingly beautiful, with mellow strummed guitar and delicate piano. Miccoli’s beguiling harmonic vocals register just above a whisper, giving the song an ethereal quality. It’s my personal favorite of their songs, though I think every one of them is superb. This terrific EP is well-crafted and definitely worth owning.

Follow Miccoli:  Website /  Facebook /  Twitter
Stream their music:  Spotify /  Soundcloud / YouTube
Purchase it:  iTunes /  Amazon

BAD LLAMA – EP Review: “Shedding Skin”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews4 Comments

Sometimes I wish I lived in the UK, as so many of the artists and bands I like seem to be located there. I’ve featured many of them on this blog, and today I introduce Bad Llama, an alternative metal five-piece based in Burton Upon Trent.  I was happy they contacted me about their EP, because I became hooked on their music at first listen.

They formed little more than a year ago in early 2016, and in fairly short order released their debut EP Shedding Skin last September. Blending 90s rock, funk and metal with modern industrial and progressive sounds, Bad Llama creates music overflowing with intricate melodies, complex arrangements, powerful instrumentals, intelligent lyrics and impassioned vocals.

Making all this great music are Kyle Jordan (Vocals), Lewis Hutchings (Bass), Gaz Waddell (Drums), Dan Houlbrooke (Guitar) and Sam Wyatt (Guitar and Backing vocals). The band made their first live appearance at the 02 Academy 3 in Birmingham in October 2016 and have since played there again. They also appeared on Johnny Doom’s show Amp’d on Birmingham TV (a video of that appearance is at the end of this review), and have played a number of venues throughout the Midlands.

Bad Llama

From the moment we hear the mysterious haunting synths at the beginning of the stunning first track “The Healer,” the song begins to cast its spell. Then jangly guitars, heavy bass and pounding drums enter the picture, drawing us in until a waterfall of swirling and snarling guitars rain down upon our dazed ears, leaving us helplessly in thrall. After just one track, it’s safe to conclude that these guys are masters of their respective instruments. Jordan’s powerful vocals are mesmerizing, going from vulnerable one moment to passionately raw the next as he implores: “Your silence speaks volumes to me / Maybe everything isn’t as it seems.”

“The Wolf You Feed” takes a darker turn, with gritty, wailing guitars and cymbal-heavy percussion creating a foreboding sense of doom. Jordan’s vocals once again run the gamut from smoldering to anguished screams, adding complexity and power to the track.  The video was filmed in an abandoned warehouse, and features menacing images of ghoulish characters tormenting the band, alternating with scenes of them performing the song outside the warehouse.

Houlbrooke and Wyatt show off their guitar-playing chops on the exhilarating “Paint in Sound,” as the song opens with a rapid-fire riff before we’re treated to layers of shredded, swirling and distorted guitars. Hutchings’ throbbing bass adds heft to the track, while Waddell pounds out the driving beat. Jordan pleads “Is this prison? Give me something to live for.” His captivating vocals take center stage on “10 Years Time” as he goes from tender falsetto to fiercely intense and everything in between. As to be expected, the instrumentals on this track are outstanding.

Last, but certainly not least, is “Exile,” a brooding, six minute long epic. The intricate guitar work on this track is extraordinary, at once both powerfully intense and achingly beautiful. Hutchings’ bass is so heavy I could feel it pressing against my chest. And it goes without saying that Jordan’s incredible vocal range is on full display, rising to an ear-splitting crescendo before things calm back down by song’s end.

There isn’t a standout track on Shedding Skin, as all five of them are superb. It’s a great EP, and I’m confident we’ll soon be hearing more phenomenal tunes from Bad Llama.

Here’s a video of their appearance on Johnny Doom’s Amp’d:

Follow Bad Llama:  Facebook /  Twitter /  Instagram
Stream their music:  Spotify /  Soundcloud
Purchase it:  iTunes

Single Review: LITTLE TRIGGERS – “Silly Cigarettes”

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Liverpool-based indie rock band Little Triggers is on an upward trajectory of late. Following up on their exuberant punk romp “When the Lights Are Going Out,” they’ve recently dropped a terrific new single “Silly Cigarettes.”  The delightful but emotionally wrenching song further cements the quartet’s status as one of Liverpool’s most exciting bands.

Little Triggers is Thomas Hamilton-Hughes (lead guitar & vocals), Chris Carragher (bass), Sam Gallacher (drums) and James Crawford (keyboards, backing vocals).  Their music is a happy mix of garage rock, punk and new wave influences, giving it a retro, yet freshly current sound that’s candy for the eardrums.

Little Triggers

Photo by John Latham Photography

“Silly Cigarettes” opens with a strummed guitar solo and Hamilton-Hughes’ melancholy vocals expressing the heartache of knowing his girlfriend is cheating on him: “Everybody knows, you’re wearing last night’s clothes, and that you’re probably acting up again. And I know where you’ve been, no you thought I hadn’t seen you’d been ’round again.” The intensity of the music rises as the song progresses, with lots of cymbal-heavy percussion, thumping keyboards and jangly guitars. Hamilton-Hughes’ vocals become more emotionally wrought as he sings the chorus: “Cause I’ve heard everyone is taking off your party dress, while I’m sad on the outside smoking silly cigarettes. Oh don’t you know?”   The guitar solo in the bridge is wonderful, and the powerful backing vocals in the chorus call to mind those of a classic ELO song.

Have a listen to this great tune:

Here’s a video of a great acoustic version of the song that’s less intense, but still emotionally poignant.

Connect with Little Triggers: Facebook /  Twitter /  Instagram
Stream their music:  Soundcloud /  Spotify /  YouTube
Purchase:  iTunes

FOSTER THE PEOPLE – EP Review: “III”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews16 Comments

Foster the People are one of my favorite bands (see header photo on my Twitter page that I took at their L.A. concert in November 2014), and I’ve been eagerly awaiting the release of new music from them. It’s been three years since their last album Supermodel, and now they’re back with a fantastic three-song EP called III. It dropped on April 27, as a preview of their upcoming album planned for release this summer. Their new sound is a slight departure from Torches and Supermodel, with the introduction of hip-hop influences, though their complex melodies and generous use of synths are still well represented.

III is the group’s first recording after the departure of original bassist Cubbie Fink in 2016, and Isom Innis and Sean Cimino – who’ve toured and played back-up for Foster the People for several years – are now attributed as official members of the band. The current line-up is front man Mark Foster (lead vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards, synthesizers), Mark Pontius (drums, percussion, backing vocals), Isom Innis (piano, keyboards, percussion, backing vocals) and Sean Cimino (guitar, piano, keyboards, backing vocals).

Foster the People

Regarding their new songs, Mark Foster noted “One of my favorite things about music is that it’s unifying. We wrote these songs to reflect joy in a time where people have needed it more than ever, and we thought it was a good time to share them with you.” Well, I can say unequivocally that hearing new music from Foster the People makes me very happy. I love every song they’ve ever recorded, and these new ones are no exception.

The first track “Pay the Man” features a dub step beat and Foster’s rapping, backed by a mix of otherworldly synths and pixie-ish voices. These verses are interspersed with melodic, sweeping choruses more in keeping with the band’s signature sound. As with many of their songs, there’s an abundance of intricate synths, underlain by strong bass and percussion. Foster sings: “Say what you love, it’s alright. Don’t be afraid to find your light. Embrace the day, like night. We hear the fire, we all go wild again. And you have the name of someone I love.”

“Doing It for the Money” features a bass-heavy hip hop beat and crisp synths. I love Foster’s vocals, which include a bit of rapping, and rise to his signature falsetto during the chorus: “So close your eyes, we’re gonna run this light. We live our lives, yeah, we’re not wasting time. Baby, we lost our minds.  We’re gonna get, gonna get, get what we can. We’re not doing it for the money.” To my ears, the track has a bit of a quirky Beck vibe.

Note: Several months after I wrote this review, Foster the People released a trippy video for the song. The images shown in the video are supposed to reflect a computer’s fantasies about humans.

My favorite of the three is “SHC” (short for Sacred Hearts Club), possibly because it reminds me of some of the songs on Torches, with exuberant, swirling synths and beautiful chiming guitars. Honestly, the instrumentals on this song are gorgeous, and Foster’s vocals are beguiling. The lyrics seem to address Foster’s relationship with a loved one as well as God: “I’ve been numbing my thoughts for hours. I know you wanted to save me from myself. We’ve been wilting and young for seeds, and I can’t compete until I’m strung to the field. What’s real?”

Needless to say, I’m really looking forward to the release of the full album this summer, In the meantime, I’ll have to enjoy these tracks. To stay up to date with Foster the People, check out their website.
Follow them:  Facebook /  Twitter /  Instagram
Stream their music:  Spotify /  Apple Music /  Google Play /  YouTube
Purchase:  iTunes /  Amazon

Top 20 Songs For May 7-13, 2017

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's1 Comment

1. SIGN OF THE TIMES – Harry Styles (3)
2. HOT THOUGHTS – Spoon (1)
3. LOVE IS MYSTICAL – Cold War Kids (2)
4. WOLVES – Wide Eyed Boy (4)
5. BELIEVER – Imagine Dragons (7)
6. LOST ON YOU – LP (8)
7. BLAME – Bastille (10)
8. COLD COLD COLD – Cage the Elephant (12)
9. GREEN LIGHT – Lorde (11)
10. ON HOLD – The xx (5)
11. LOVE ON THE BRAIN – Rihanna (6)
12. SOMETHING JUST LIKE THIS – The Chainsmokers, Coldplay (15)
13. MIDDLE FINGERS – MISSIO (17)
14. HEAVYDIRTYSOUL – twenty øne piløts (9)
15. FEEL IT STILL – Portugal, the Man (N)
16. HOW DID YOU LOVE – Shinedown (13)
17. HUMAN – Rag’n’Bone Man (14)
18. SHAPE OF YOU – Ed Sheeran (16)
19. NIMBLE BASTARD – Incubus (19)
20. THAT’S WHAT I LIKE – Bruno Mars (20)

Song Review: VINITSKY – “Hola”

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Vinitsky is a Ukrainian electro pop/rock singer, songwriter, producer, DJ and social activist. Now based in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, her dynamic music is a raw mix of electronic sound, heavy guitars and powerful vocals. Her style fuses pop, rock and electronic influences, and draws inspiration from Ukrainian vocal melodies and 80’s sounds of bands like Depeche Mode and Kraftwerk. And she’s a busy woman. Besides recording and producing her own music, for the past several years she’s been performing as an artist or DJ throughout Central and Eastern Europe. She also sings and writes songs for several nu-metal bands in Ukraine – including OnesteP, whose EP I recently reviewed.

Vinitsky released her first electronic album Stereo Radio under the name ‘Kate Orange.’ The similarly-named single from the album garnered more than 52 000 views on YouTube, and was supported by David Guetta on the Spanish TV show El Hermigueiro. In 2016, wanting a fresh approach to her music, she released an excellent self-titled album under the new name ‘Vinitsky.’ The Spanish single “Hola” is taken from that album. A fun feature of Vinitsky is that every track is illustrated, with each picture telling a story about the song and it’s mood. Vinitsky states that the pictures are also meant to relieve stress: “You can color them by yourselves, so sharpen your pencils and create your own work of art!”

Vinitsky

The song “Hola” has a somewhat raw sound, infectious Latin dance beat and simple, understandable Spanish lyrics, even for those who don’t speak the language. Vinitsky explains that her inspiration for the song comes from the Dutch obsession with Spanish traditions, holidays and recreation.

The track starts off with her singing a capella, with a crackling noise in the background, as if the song was being played on an old Victrola. It then bursts open with an irresistible Latin dance beat, as buzzing electronic synths, exuberant horns and heavy bass all conspire to get your hips moving. Even sitting at the computer, my head was bobbing and hips were swaying like I was giving my chair a lap dance! She handles the Spanish lyrics quite nicely, her commanding vocals soaring with the intensity of the music, making for quite an exciting track. Take a listen:

To learn more about Vinitsky, check out her website.
Connect with her:  Facebook /  Instagram
Stream her music:  Soundcloud /  Spotify /  YouTube
Purchase:  Bandcamp

Featured Song & Video: VOX EAGLE – “No Sleep”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Artist Spotlight, Reviews4 Comments

Australian indie electro-psych pop duo Vox Eagle have been busy guys since forming in 2015. Andy Crosby and Luke Hamel, who make up Vox Eagle, spent time traveling throughout the U.S., writing and recording songs for their upcoming EP, scheduled to drop this summer (which I’ll be reviewing just prior to its release). They’ve released two amazing songs thus far, “No Sleep” and “Come Over,” along with a video for “No Sleep” that I’m featuring now.

The infectiously catchy song is steeped in lush atmospheric dream-pop grooves, with swirling synths floating over an irresistible bass-heavy dance beat. Andy’s smooth vocals occasionally rise to a stirring falsetto as he croons: “Is it any wonder? The current pulls us under. No sleep no sleep for the wicked no./ I keep on counting sheep. Days into nights, nights into weeks. Out of sight, out of mind, never mind.”

Connect with Vox Eagle:  Facebook /  Twitter
Stream their music:  Soundcloud / Spotify
Purchase it:  iTunes

Featured Song: JODY WHITESIDES – “Rise Up”

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Jody Whitesides is a seasoned singer/songwriter who’s been making music for 20 years. We’ve followed one another on Twitter for quite some time, but I somehow missed that he’d released a powerful new protest song “Rise Up” on January 20, 2017 – the day Donald Trump was inaugurated President of the United States. Being a music blogger, I rarely make my political opinions known on this platform, however, I continue to be horrified on a daily basis that a cruel, narcissistic sociopath is our President, so Jody’s song resonated strongly with me. Plus, it’s a pretty good pop-rock tune from a musical standpoint.

Jody Whitesides

On his website, Jody eloquently explains his inspiration for “Rise Up”:

“You might ask yourself why did I release it on Inauguration Day? Its a great question that has a real live answer.  I felt it my duty to call out the fact that the country has elected the wrong person. A person who claims to be for the “little” guy, but in reality is solely out for himself and his family. If there is one thing that I hope to achieve, it is to have people Rise Up against going backwards in this country. My desire is to see people gather and protest. To demonstrate. To call out the elected leaders to start doing their jobs rather than creating chaos.

Regardless of whether you are a Republican, Democrat, Independent, Green Party, Tea party, whomever – you can put this song to use. In fact, I’d love to see you putting it into action. Share your photos and videos, of your using it for protest, with me on Instagram or Twitter. I’ll be happy to RT or share the love. Go forth and make use of your freedom, before you lose more of it. Enjoy it, sing it, share it!”

Song Lyrics:

Things took a turn ’bout an hour ago
We lost another freedom don’t you know
Is this what you meant – ignore evidence
Now we watch truth lay down to arrogance

No one will admit our elected leadership
Went an’ made everything such a mess
Has the land of the free
Forgot the home of the brave
And become scared to

Rise Up (Rise Up)
Rise Up defend your rights (defend your rights)
Rise Up (Rise Up)
Rise Up and win this fight (win this fight)
Rise Up

Take a look around what do you see
A snipe hunt being led by Wall Street Freaks
We know what you heard – all of the applause
That circus came to sell off all our laws

Rise Up (Rise Up)
Rise Up defend your rights (defend your rights)
Rise Up (Rise Up)
Rise Up and win this fight (win this fight)
Rise Up

Deregulation bad legislation
Corporations shouldn’t be diplomatic engines
Lightning rods for maneuvering fraud
Paint their path to heaven then act like gods
Moral turpitude conflicting attitudes
Clandestine video shows us who is lewd
Our education ain’t evil invention
Its a key to learning a needed lesson

Rise Up (Rise Up)
Rise Up defend your rights (defend your rights)
Rise Up (Rise Up)
Rise Up and win this fight (win this fight)
Rise Up (Rise Up)
Rise Up defend your rights (defend your rights)
Rise Up (Rise Up)
Rise Up and win this fight (win this fight)
Rise Up

Jody W performing

Here’s a bit of background on Jody’s extensive music career:

Born and raised in New York, Jody initially studied at Boston’s Berklee College, then went on to the Musician’s Institute in Hollywood. He now calls Park City, Utah home. He humorously refers to his sound as “A Funky Audio Lap Dance For Your Ears.” His considerable music output has been extremely eclectic, which is especially appealing for me, the EclecticMusicLover! At various points in his long career he’s recorded rock, folk, pop, psychedelic, funk and dance songs, handling all those genres quite well, actually.

His first album release was with his band AMALGAM in 1998, then he released a terrific rock/psychedelic/funk-infused solo album E.nergy A.udio R.evolution in 2000, followed by the folk rock-oriented Is This Considered Naked (love that title!) I recommend my readers take the time to check them out, as well as his later albums Initial Spank, A Natural Leap Forward and Practical Insanity. In 2010, he recorded a sports anthem “Do You Want to Play,” along with remixes of the song for every NFL, MLB, NHL and WNBA team! More recently, prior to recording “Rise Up,” Jody recorded the fun psychedelia/hip hop-tinged dance single “Touch” in 2015, and the soulful dance-pop single “Thump Thump Thump” in 2016.

To learn more about Jody, check out his website.
Connect with him:  Facebook / Twitter /  Instagram
Stream his music:  Spotify /  Soundcloud /  YouTube
Purchase:  iTunes

Video Premier: CARBONWORKS – “Monaco”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews5 Comments

CarbonWorks is not your typical band. It’s more a collective of talented session musicians really, headed by its creator and guitarist Neal Barnard – who also happens to be a world-renowned medical doctor. Based in Washington, D.C., the band’s music is a unique fusion of rock, contemporary classical, jazz, blues and avant-garde, giving their sound an uncommon breadth and depth. With delicate melodies over driving rhythms, blues overlying classical strings, and frequent use of non-English lyrics, their songs defy categorization. Regarding the band name, in an interview with the website All Access Music, Barnard explained: “Well, ‘The Beatles’ and ‘The Rolling Stones’ were already taken. And at the base of it all, we are carbon, and these are our works.”

The band released their debut self-titled album CarbonWorks in December 2016 to rave reviews, and have been releasing a new video of one of the album tracks every month or so. Their latest is a stunning video for the equally stunning instrumental track “Monaco.”

Musically, the electrifying song features Barnard playing a Steinberger guitar, an unusual instrument with no head and almost no body, built from a single piece of graphite/carbon fiber. It has a whammy bar which allows him to make the siren-like descending sounds on the track. Also featured on the track is the dan tranh, a traditional Vietnamese instrument that’s similar to a Japanese koto, played by Chau Nguyen. It sits on a stand like a piano and is played sort of like a harp. The other musicians playing on this track include Allegra Havens on violin, Jeff Phelps on cello, Shea Roebuck on bass and Mike Stetina on drums.

Barnard stated he was inspired to write the song while in the Monaco train station, “when over the loudspeaker came a little four-note chime to announce a message about upcoming trains. And those four notes got stuck in my brain and eventually became a song. You’ll hear Chau play them.”

The music video was actually filmed in the beautiful principality of Monaco. Barnard is shown starting on a run before dawn, then the camera films scenes of what he would observe from his own eyes as he runs the course of the Monaco Grand Prix. The video goes back and forth between footage of the race track and scenes of the band performing the song. At the end of his run, he collapses in front of the Chapel of Sainte-Devote—the hazardous corner where many Formula One cars have crashed or spun out.

To learn more about CarbonWorks, check out their website.

Connect with them:  Facebook /  Twitter /  Instagram
Stream their music:  YouTube /  Spotify /  Soundcloud
Purchase:  iTunes /  Amazon