Month: July 2018

THE MILLION REASONS – Single Review: “Dizzy”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews4 Comments

The Million Reasons2

I think everyone who loves music will agree that one of life’s supreme pleasures is hearing a song for the first time and having it move us in some powerful way – which could be to bring chills, tears, joy, laughter or make us want to dance with abandon. Chills were what I felt when I first listened to the new single “Dizzy” from Chicago rock band The Million Reasons, which dropped July 13. Wow, what a powerful and gorgeous song it is, and I was so moved that I had to feature it on this blog.

The Million Reasons is comprised of Scott Nadeau (vocals and guitar), Ken Ugel (guitar), Mike Nichols (guitar) and Colin Dill (drums). Their dynamic sound – which they refer to as “rock and roll for summer nights and long rides” – draws influence from such legendary bands as Led Zeppelin, Queen, Thin Lizzy, Aerosmith, The Beatles, The Who, The Rolling Stones, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Foreigner and Rush. The guys released their debut EP The Runaround in 2017, featuring six outstanding hard-hitting tracks that I highly recommend my readers check out. But with “Dizzy,” they’ve really struck sonic gold.

The track opens with an enthralling guitar riff that immediately pulls us in with the promise that something really beautiful is about to unfold. As the song progresses and the music expands with added layers of intricate guitars and percussion into a soaring anthem, we’re not disappointed. The guitar work is simply amazing, and by the time the chorus arrives with jaw-dropping riffs of screaming guitars and thunderous drums, we’re left gasping for breath.

With his raw, earnest vocals, Nadeau passionately sings about a relationship in which both are blinded by an obsessive desire for one another:

If you’ve got something to say
I wanna hear you speak
Because girl
You’re gonna be the death of me

And you make me dizzy
You confuse me
And I make you dizzy
Because you don’t know what to do with me

“Dizzy” is a magnificent song from start to finish, and even at 5:41 minutes in length, it seems over far too quickly. I love it, and I love this band! I also love the beautiful video that was directed and edited by Stephanie Battista. I usually prefer videos that show the band or artist performing the song, instead of an acted-out story that sometimes has little to do with the actual song.

Catch The Million Reasons at one of these upcoming shows:

Saturday, July 28 – House of Blues, Chicago w/Young Pioneer + 2 others
Wednesday, August 22 – Emporium, Chicago w/Shiver + 1 other

Connect with The Million Reasons:  Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
Stream their music:  Spotify / Apple Music / Soundcloud / YouTube
Purchase:  Bandcamp / iTunes / Amazon

Top 30 Songs for July 15-21, 2018

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30'sLeave a comment

1. I FEEL LIKE I’M DROWNING – Two Feet (1)
2. HUNGER – Florence + the Machine (3)
3. UNWIND – John Defeo (7)
4. SIT NEXT TO ME – Foster the People (6) 40th week on chart
5. SAY AMEN (SATURDAY NIGHT) – Panic! At the Disco (5)
6. SUCH A SIMPLE THING – Ray LaMontagne (9)
7. BAD BAD NEWS – Leon Bridges (2)
8. ZOMBIE – Bad Wolves (4)
9. FOUR OUT OF FIVE – Arctic Monkeys (10)
10. BROKEN – lovelytheband (13) 22nd week on chart
11. COLORS – Beck (14)
12. LIFE TO FIX – The Record Company (15)
13. RED MOON SKY – Face of Stone (17)
14. 44 – Oli Barton & the Movement (18)
15. PINK LEMONADE – James Bay (8)
16. HI HELLO – Johnny Marr (21)
17. QUARTER PAST MIDNIGHT – Bastille (22)
18. I HOPE YOU’RE HAPPY – Blue October (16)
19. KAMIKAZE – WALK THE MOON (24)
20. GOLD RUSH – Death Cab For Cutie (30)
21. THOUGHT CONTAGION – Muse (11)
22. CELEBRATE – Dirty Heads, The Unlikely Candidates (12)
23. BLOOM – Troye Sivan (26)
24. GIVE YOURSELF A TRY – The 1975 (27)
25. HANDYMAN – AWOLNATION (19)
26. &RUN – Sir Sly (20) 22nd week on chart
27. WHATEVER IT TAKES – Imagine Dragons (25)
28. HUMILITY – Gorillaz featuring George Benson (N)
29. FLAWLESS – Dorothy (N)
30. TRANSITION – The Winachi Tribe (N)

CEREBRAL DESECRATION – Single Review: “Peel of the Rotten”

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Cerebral Desecration is an amazing death/thrash metal band based in San Marcos, Texas.  Founded in 2010 by guitarists David Machado and Javier Zamora, the band also includes Kobey Lange on vocals, Joe Muniz on bass, and Collyn Rios on drums. Their brutal sound is heavily influenced by bands such as Testament, Obituary, Hatebreed, Sepultura, Pantera, Whitechapel and Lamb of God, to name a few. They released a debut EP Immortals in 2013, and now return with a face-melting new single “Peel of the Rotten.”

The guys waste no time getting right down to business, unleashing from the get-go a juggernaut of raging buzz-saw guitars, crushing basslines and gut-punching drums. Having two lead guitarists gives their sound extra heft, and Machado and Zamora nicely deliver an unrelenting barrage of furious jackhammer riffs that will satisfy any metal head. Zamora plays a beautiful little melodic riff in the bridge that momentarily draws our attention from the relentless onslaught. Muniz nearly blows the speakers with his supermassive bass, while Rios pummels his drums with awe-inspiring fury.

My ears are bleeding, and I haven’t even gotten to the vocals yet! Lange is quite honestly one of the best death metal vocalists I’ve heard in a long while. He sings with a ferocity that boggles the mind, like a rampaging beast stomping through the streets, laying waste to everything in its path. He seems to effortlessly transition from guttural growls to savage screams and back again without skipping a beat.

It’s a fairly long track, clocking in at 5:16 minutes, but there’s not a single throwaway moment or note. It’s a magnificent death metal song from a totally badass band! Take a listen and see for yourself:

Fun fact: I love that the track was recorded at the Dead Room Recording Studio.

Connect with Cerebral Desecration: Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Reverbnation

IAMWARFACE – Single Review: “Closer”

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Closer

IAMWARFACE is a London, UK-based electro-rock project formed by singer/songwriter and producer Matt Warneford in 2016. Though they’ve released only a handful of songs, they already rank high among my favorite UK bands. Their aggressive name is a fitting metaphor for their bombastic high-energy, groove-based sound – an awesome name for equally awesome music. Besides Warneford, the current line-up of band members include Lou Matthews (guitars), Tom Howe (DJ synth), Mike Smith (bass) and Adam Stanley (drums). Their sound is influenced by many peers such as Depeche Mode, Gary Numan, Kasabian, Muse, Big Black Delta, Nero, Queens of the Stone Age, Tears For Fears, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Black Keys and MGMT – all artists & bands that I also happen to love.

IAMWARFACE2

IAMWARFACE released their debut single “Say My Name” in 2016, a phenomenal track that literally left me speechless the first time I heard it. In my review of the song, I likened the effect to being “hit by an atomic blast of music greatness.” I loved it so much it ended up at #14 on my Top 100 Best Songs of 2016. This past February, they released another fantastic single “You Don’t Love Me Anymore,” and today, Friday the 13th of July, they drop their latest single “Closer,” and once again, I’m completely blown away!

The track opens with a mysterious throbbing synth chord that slowly builds into a stunning and dramatic soundscape that envelops us as Warneford implores to someone with whom he seems to have an obsessive and destructive relationship:

Who, who am I?
I’m just living to die
This old night when it comes
I’ll be free of these old bones
And I don’t know what I’ll do
It’s this old dog holding me down
Cause I used to have a soul
I just lost control
And I’ll move, move closer
Yes I’ll move, move closer to you

With that, the music explodes into a maelstrom of tortured but gorgeous wailing synths, fuzzy guitars, buzz-saw bass, and thunderous percussion, punctuated by almost violently crashing cymbals that emphasize the feelings of desolation expressed in the bitter lyrics. Warneford’s passionate vocals seem filled with despair and resignation over a love affair that now lies in tatters. “Feel I’m walking on shattered glass. This romance just has to end, to reset, erase, begin again.”

My body is covered from head to toe with chills by song’s end, as I sit dumbfounded by the fierce beauty and power of this monumental track. IAMWARFACE continues to astonish with their superb skill for creating incredible high-caliber, epic-sounding music, and I can’t wait to hear more from them!

Those of you in the UK can see IAMWARFACE live at one of these upcoming shows:

July 21  –  Cricketers, Kingston
July 29  –  Crown’s, Brighton
July 31  –  Live Acoustic Session
August 27  –  Fiddler’s Elbow, London
September 7  –  Verve Bar, Leeds
September 12  –  Aatma, Manchester
September 13  –  Santiago Bar, Leeds
September 14  –  Scruffy Murphys, Birmingham
September 15  –  Maguires Pizzabar, Liverpool
September 16  –  Fiddlers Elbow, London
October 27  –  London Stone, Staines

Connect with IAMWARFACE:  Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
Stream their music:  Spotify / Soundcloud / Apple Music

German band Atlanta Arrival Launches Charity Fundraiser Tribute Single “Colliding Stars”

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Atlanta Arrival CollidingStars

German alt-rock band Atlanta Arrival has launched a charity fundraiser for their drummer Björn Mertz, who passed away after a long battle with cancer on May 17, 2018. They’ve released a new single “Colliding Stars” in his honor. Here is their statement regarding his passing and the fundraiser:

“On 17th May, we had to say goodbye to our dear son, brother, uncle, friend and drummer Björn Mertz. He was a fighter and an optimist, always determined to support his beloved ones instead of burdening them with his own stroke of fate. After months of battling cancer, it seemed like a miracle when he left the hospital cancer-free at the beginning of this year – still full of enthusiasm and joy of living. He enjoyed the time with friends and family and poured all his energy into his music, his one true passion. So, after our former band The Satellite Year split up, we composed an album that was supposed to be our next project.

Björn was about to go to a health resort, so we wanted to record the songs afterwards – but as if he had had a vision, he insisted on finishing the recording of the drums before his leave. And so he did: 9 songs in only 8 hours! At this time there was no way that anybody could have known that he was already developing a number of new tumors. While his friends believed that Björn was at the health resort as planned, really he was staying at the Uniklinik Homburg, a hospital, again fighting a battle against cancer with only his family by his side – and he did fight to the last. There is no rational explanation for what had happened during the last few weeks of his life or why this even had to happen. Similarly, there are no words for the pain and grief we feel. But should pain, emptiness and misery be the only things left? He himself would not have wanted this.

Therefore, it’s the deepest wish of his family and friends that Björn’s music and with it his unique spirit live on. We finished Björn’s favourite song of the album as well as a music video and kindly ask you to donate whatever you want and can afford to give, in order to support the German Cancer Foundation.”

Here are the poignant lyrics to “Colliding Stars”:

Yesterday when you woke up
Welcomed with the kiss of night
All your pain was gently stopped
You left soundless with the light

Every day when we wake up
Not aware of what will come
Your memory will stay the same
You told us to seize the day

Every day we think of you
wondering what you’re up to
You had to go, no one to blame
You will never fade away

In the night sky there’s no light
Stars are born just to collide
We’re listening to your symphony
But in our own melody

Goodbye old friend
We’re by your side
And in the end
We’ll meet again

You can download a digital version of the song on their Bandcamp page and also have the possibility to order the single CD version of the song (limited, only 200 CDs) for 5 € (or more if you like to donate more). All profits will be fully donated.

Donation via paypal:
https://www.paypal.com/pools/c/8575pb3xy9

If you don’t like to use paypal, you can also donate via bank transfer, immediately to the bank account of the German Cancer Foundation. Please use AK49006741 as a reference.
Bank account:
Kreissparkasse Köln
IBAN DE65 3705 0299 0000 9191 91
SWIFT/BIC COKSDE 33XXX

Björn’s family, friends and band would like to thank you from the bottom of their hearts for each cent they are able to donate to the German Cancer Foundation in Björn’s name.

BEN WRIGHT – EP Review: “Lifeline”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews2 Comments

Ben Wright is a singer/songwriter/guitarist from Manchester, UK – a city with a vibrant music scene, from which have come several artists and bands I’ve previously featured on this blog. I’ve also been a little amazed by the number of singer/songwriters in the UK that play folk or Americana music, some of whom I’ve also featured on this blog. But then I remember that American folk and country music has its roots in the music that British, Scottish, and later Irish settlers brought to America. In Ben’s case, his pleasing style of acoustic folk/pop is influenced by blues, rock, and even a little reggae. He released a wonderful debut single “Starry Nights” in October 2016, which I reviewed. Now he’s returned with a seven-track EP Lifeline, released in early June through Sound-Hub Records.

Ben Wright

For the recording of the album, Ben played guitars and sang all vocals, the esteemed musician/producer Barrington Mole (White Moor, The Further, Ejector Seat) played bass, and Dan Williams played drums. The EP kicks off with the title track “Lifeline,” a lovely song about not letting fear of failure keep you from pursuing your dreams. Ben sings of his struggle to make it as a musician, though the lyrics could apply to any type of performance art. His smooth, calm vocals are incredibly pleasing as he sings: “Cause I’ve been waiting so many years to see this blurry silhouette coming through these tears. Cause I don’t want to be waiting for another lifetime. So I’ll throw these dreams a lifeline.”

The song’s arrangement and production are on-point, and Ben’s slide guitar work is positively sublime. I really like the video that shows him and his fellow musicians performing the song. For the video, the supporting musicians are Chris Bull on acoustic guitar, Dave Fox on bass, and Alex Bayley on drums.

https://youtu.be/5d5upTScIX8 

Ben states that he was inspired to write the beautiful second track “Starry Nights” “whilst travelling and sleeping in the middle of nowhere in New Zealand.” The poetic lyrics describe the simple beauty of a starry night in the rural countryside, unblemished by the artificiality or pretense of urban life. “Looking down from high above, they’re flickering til the day is born. No artificial beams can reach the sky. No piercing sounds will break the night. Starry nights reveal innocence. There’s no delusions and no hollow men.” The song has a lovely melody and acoustic rhythm guitar riff overlying gentle percussion and bass. Ben’s soothing vocals convey a sense of tranquility – that everything’s alright with the world. The charming video, which shows Ben walking and/or performing the song by a lake, nicely complements the track.

“Visions of You” is an upbeat folk song about celebrating the love he feels for his girl, while the cheerful “My Hometown” has a peppy reggae vibe. One of the things I like about this track are all the different guitar textures, including the wobbly little riff that can be heard throughout.

A favorite track is “She’s Leaving Town,” a bittersweet song about the end of a relationship that leaves him blindsided: “She’s leaving town tonight. The boy has no idea what it’s all about./ That smile is just an illusion.” The track has a bluesy feel, and the funky guitars and bass are really terrific. “Home Beyond the Pines” is another great track – oh hell, they’re all great! It starts off with a a bewitching little guitar note that expands into a pleasing acoustic riff, set to a happy toe-tapping beat.

As I listen to each track, I’m struck by the serene beauty of Ben’s voice, and no more so than on the gentle folk song “Fight Against the Tide.” His vocals are tender and heartfelt as he sings the inspirational lyrics about not letting self-doubt and the setbacks that life sometimes throws our way keep you from moving forward and living your own truth: “Wash away your pride. Don’t neglect your mind’s eye. Trust the strength you have inside, and fight against the tide.” It’s another favorite of mine.

Lifeline is a marvelous, well-crafted EP filled with songs that make you feel good, even when the subject matter is not particularly happy. Ben’s songwriting, musicianship and vocals are all first-rate, and he should be very proud of this work. An accomplished musician, he also teaches guitar lessons on his YouTube channel, which you can check out here.

Connect with Ben:  Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
Stream his music:  Apple Music / Spotify / Deezer
Purchase:  iTunes / Amazon UK / Google Play

ALL TAKEN – Single Review: “Smells Like Mistakes”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews7 Comments

All Taken2

All Taken is an alternative rock band based in Los Angeles. Formed in 2015 as a duo by long-time friends Daniel Daghlarian and Avo Karapetyan, All Taken melds electronic and hard rock, along with a bit of 90s grunge, to create their dynamic alt-rock sound. Daniel plays guitar and sings lead vocals, and Avo pounds the drums and sings backup.

They released a strong debut single “Burning Red” in 2016, and followed up in March 2017 with their EP Accept This, which I reviewed. They’ve just dropped a hard-driving new single “Smells Like Mistakes,” and they sound better than ever. (They also recently hired a new bass player after the song was recorded, but he will play on all future tracks.)

All Taken Single Art

The track opens strong with an explosion of gnarly, stabbing guitar riffs that rip through the airwaves, aided and abetted by heavy crushing bass and pounding drums. At the chorus, Daniel lets loose with a blistering guitar solo while Avo hammers out a powerful military beat on his drums and furiously crashes the cymbals. You give me chills guys!

Daniel’s vocals sound great as he passionately wails the lyrics about a man dissipated from a self-destructive life lived hard: “It wasn’t what he said. It was those tired eyes. Cigarettes dangling from lips dried up from whiskey sips. The twists and turns that life may take. You’re just a man who smells like mistakes.”

Although a short track, clocking in at only 2:39 minutes, it’s a real head-banger, so crank up the volume and rock the hell out! And what about that awesome artwork!

Connect with All Taken:  Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
Stream their music:  Spotify / Apple Music
Purchase on iTunes

Top 30 Songs for July 8-14, 2018

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's2 Comments

Two Feet’s gorgeous and sultry “I Feel Like I’m Drowning” is #1 for a second week, and Leon Bridges holds at #2 with his jazzy “Bad Bad News” (after spending three weeks at #1). The sexy and soulful little sleeper “Unwind” by indie artist John Defeo continues to climb, landing at #7 this week.

Two songs make giant leaps up the chart this week: “Sit Next to Me” by one of my favorite bands Foster the People, which jumps 20 spots to #6, and the beautiful “Such a Simple Thing” by Ray LaMontagne, also jumping 20 spots to #9. “Sit Next to Me” reached #1 on my chart in late December, but has had amazing staying power, spending the past seven months in the top 10 on the Billboard Alternative Chart. This is the song’s 39th non-consecutive week on my Top 30.

1. I FEEL LIKE I’M DROWNING – Two Feet (1)
2. BAD BAD NEWS – Leon Bridges (2)
3. HUNGER – Florence + the Machine (4)
4. ZOMBIE – Bad Wolves (3)
5. SAY AMEN (SATURDAY NIGHT) – Panic! At the Disco (8)
6. SIT NEXT TO ME – Foster the People (26) 39th week on list
7. UNWIND – John Defeo (10)
8. PINK LEMONADE – James Bay (5)
9. SUCH A SIMPLE THING – Ray LaMontagne (29)
10. FOUR OUT OF FIVE – Arctic Monkeys (12)
11. THOUGHT CONTAGION – Muse (6)
12. CELEBRATE – Dirty Heads, The Unlikely Candidates (7)
13. BROKEN – lovelytheband (11) 21st week on list
14. COLORS – Beck (16)
15. LIFE TO FIX – The Record Company (17)
16. I HOPE YOU’RE HAPPY – Blue October (15)
17. RED MOON SKY – Face of Stone (19)
18. 44 – Oli Barton & the Movement (20)
19. HANDYMAN – AWOLNATION (13)
20. &RUN – Sir Sly (14) 21st week on list
21. HI HELLO – Johnny Marr (24)
22. QUARTER PAST MIDNIGHT – Bastille (21)
23. THIS IS AMERICA – Childish Gambino (9)
24. KAMIKAZE – WALK THE MOON (25)
25. WHATEVER IT TAKES – Imagine Dragons (18)
26. BLOOM – Troye Sivan (28)
27. GIVE YOURSELF A TRY – The 1975 (30)
28. FRACTURED NATION – Future Theory (22)
29. DEVIL – Shinedown (23)
30. GOLD RUSH – Death Cab for Cutie (N)

MANIPULANT – Single Review: “What Good Are the Stars?”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews6 Comments

Manipulant WGATS art

Lancaster, Pennsylvania-based artist Manipulant (aka David Speakman) is an imaginative and intensely creative multi-instrumentalist/composer of electronic music that he refers to as “scientific sound spaces.” He’s also prolific. In 2016, he released his debut album Méthode de Narration, and followed up a year later with the superb Eclectro, which I reviewed and you can read here.  He released a five-track EP Perspective earlier this year, and on July 4th, he dropped his latest work, an EP of sorts with the single “What Good Are the Stars?” as the main track, plus three remixes.

“What Good Are the Stars?” is mysterious and sublime, with a glittery soundscape of swirling synths that seem to float above the subtle bassline. A gentle hypnotic drumbeat  keeps the languid pace, and a delicate but haunting repeating piano riff adds a sense of unease to the mesmerizing track. Manipulant’s smooth, echoed vocals have an otherworldly feel as he sings the lyrics that question his inability to be with a loved one:

What good are the stars?
What good is the sky?
What good is the moon?
What use are these eyes if they can’t see you?

What good are the clouds?
What good is the rain?
If it’s not allowed to wash away pain
What good are the stars?
When they don’t know where you are?

What good are the clouds?
What good is the rain?
If it’s not allowed to wash away pain
What good are the stars?

Next up is the “Beltism Burnt Umber Mix,” which opens with an echoed and grainy background beat overlying the same hypnotic drumbeat and piano riff as in the main track. The synths are not as pronounced on this mix, though they’re a bit more psychedelic, and the bass is somewhat deeper. Nevertheless, this remix is still haunting and mesmerizing.

Each track seamlessly transitions into the next, and the third one is “Alternative Vocal Mix featuring Jennifer Doll.” It’s essentially the synth-heavy main track with added vocals by guest artist Jennifer Doll. Her soft, ethereal vocals take a starring role, harmonizing beautifully with Manipulant’s faintly audible background vocals. The final track is “Anisotropic Mix,” a trippier, bass-heavy remix with eerie-sounding synths that impart an almost sci-fi vibe. All four tracks are pretty terrific.

https://submarinebroadcastingco.bandcamp.com/album/what-good-are-the-stars

To learn more about Manipulant, check out his Website
Connect with him on: Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
Stream:  Spotify / Soundcloud
Purchase on: iTunes / Bandcamp

DARREN CAMPBELL – Single Review: “Wherever You Are”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews3 Comments

Darren Campbell is a talented and hard-working 24-year-old singer/songwriter from Scotland who’s now based in London, UK. He’s been making music since his teens, releasing his first single “Find My Way” in January 2012. He followed with the EP Days to Come later that year, and has released a great number of fine singles in the years since. His latest is a beautiful song “Wherever You Are,” which dropped in May.

Darren Campbell single art

The track opens with a delicate jangly guitar riff and ambient synths, immediately enchanting our eardrums. Fifteen seconds in, the guitars and synths expand into an exuberant and gorgeous wall of sound, accompanied by a joyous toe-tapping beat. Darren’s strong, earnest vocals convey the optimism, hope and love expressed in his lyrics:

Wherever you are, wherever you go
Always watch the stars unfold
The love you wanted you could know
The lives we live are wonderful
When you think about me when you think about us
I don’t want you to fear babe
I want you to trust

In an interview with music blog Music Musings & Such, Darren explained his inspiration  for writing the song: “‘Wherever You Are’ is inspired by the need to travel and see what’s out there in the world. I have older brothers in the States, great friends living in different countries and my parents back home in Scotland. With this song, I captured the feelings I had regarding the need to get out of your comfort zone and experiencing life whilst still feeling close and connected with the ones you love, even if they may be half the world away!”

The gorgeous music video for “Wherever You Are” was filmed and edited by Patrick Zangl, and follows Patrick and friend Christina Canek, accompanied by their beautiful husky, in their exploration of South Tyrol in northeastern Italy.

Connect with Darren:  Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
Stream his music:  Spotify / Apple Music / Soundcloud
Purchase:  iTunes / Bandcamp