EP Review: XOTIC YEYO – “Down 2 Funk”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews1 Comment

xotic-yeyo

I’m back in South Florida to shine my spotlight on Xotic Yeyo, a three-piece band that plays a fun and funky style of psychedelic rock. And let’s face it, you just gotta love a band with a name like “Xotic Yeyo.” Formed little more than a year ago (in October 2015), the band consists of Stu Sauce on guitar and lead vocals, Rod Reiter on bass and backing vocals, and Cody Orange on drums. Their upbeat eclectic sound is influenced by funk greats like Parliament, Curtis Mayfield, Average White Band, Prince, Gil Scott Heron, Phish, Primus and Jamiroquai, among others.

The guys dropped their debut EP Down 2 Funk in November, a collection of three infectious tunes guaranteed to funk you up! The artwork on the EP sleeve is a good indication that not only is the band’s sound pretty hot, they also have a playful attitude. The first track “Trip the Lights” is a six and a half minute long funky jam session. I love Stu’s wobbly distorted guitar solo that continues throughout the song, helped along by Rod’s funky bass and Cody’s light percussion that complements, but never overpowers, the track.

Xotic Yeyo lays it all out about who they are and what they do in the delightfully funky gem “Mothership.” The lyrics are so good I have to include a few stanzas:

“First time I ever set foot on the Mothership, jamming hard at the bass was the rapid responder – Ring Cody Orange for a drummer. So funky – swear this brotha’s pandemic. Radioactive to the hips and I hope you all catch it. Cause we got that dancing beat that goes on and on and on. Abducted then we’re gone.”

They call me Stu Sauce. Had vision in my verses – some call the blessings a chorus, some call the verses curses. Why people of the planet want to stay or escape, humans feeling alien to their alien race.

So I sought some lifeforms off of the inner-coastal. Like the vice of Miami, we’re called Xotic Yeyo. Taking over your TV, taking over the radio, taking over your airwaves beyond the international. We funk it up intergalactic, and we want the world to know it. Our style is the freshest, and our fresh ain’t ever frozen. The minute that you’re in it and the moment that your dancin.”

The band’s funky style is in full swing on this track, with Stu’s deft guitar riffs in perfect rhythmic harmony with Rod’s funked-up bass. Stu’s quirky, rapid-fire vocals inject a playful hip-hop energy that makes this a hot, compelling tune. The song’s video shows the band performing the song and cavorting with a few friends, clearly enjoying what they’re doing and proving that these guys are all about having fun and wanting their listeners and fans to have fun too.

“Disco Zombies” is a hook-laden funk fest, with great guitar riffs and jazzy grooves set to a catchy dance beat. There’s no way even the biggest wallflower could hear this song and not want to dance!

To learn more about Xotic Yeyo, check out their website. Follow them on Twitter and Facebook, and subscribe to their YouTube channel. Stream their music on Spotify and Soundcloud, and purchase it on their website,  iTunes or other music platforms.

Top 20 Songs for December 25-31, 2016

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30'sLeave a comment

This is the final Top 20 of 2016, and the first time since May 2015 that twenty øne piløts has not had a song in my Top 20.

1. STARBOY – The Weeknd, Daft Punk (1)
2. 24K MAGIC – Bruno Mars (2)
3. MY NAME IS HUMAN – Highly Suspect (5)
4. WASTE A MOMENT – Kings of Leon (4)
5. SAY MY NAME – (IAM)WARFACE (3)
6. CLEOPATRA – The Lumineers (7)
7. SURE AND CERTAIN – Jimmy Eat World (8)
8. BAD DECISIONS – Two Door Cinema Club (10)
9. WELCOME TO YOUR LIFE – Grouplove (6)
10. BLACK BEATLES – Rae Sremmurd, Gucci Mane (11)
11. THE SHAKES THAT YOU MAKE – Dyslexic Postcards (13)
12. BELONG – Shelita Burke (14)
13. OBSOLETE – Agony in the Garden (15)
14. DON’T WANNA KNOW – Maroon 5, Kendrick Lamar (16)
15. FEEL INVINCIBLE – Skillet (9)
16. CHANGES – MUTEMATH (12)
17. MOVE – Saint Motel (20)
18. STILL BREATHING – Green Day (N)
19. TAKE IT ALL BACK – Judah & the Lion (N)
20. ATLAS, RISE! – Metallica (N)

Artist Spotlight: NEIL BILLINNESS

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Artist Spotlight1 Comment

Neil Billinness is a musician who likes to do things his way. He writes, records and produces his own unique style of electronic music and, preferring a more ‘organic’ sound that’s not too polished, his songs are not mastered. Neil, who lives in Rosyth, Scotland, started writing songs as a teenager, when he was inspired by 80’s artists Howard Jones, OMD, The Human League, Tears For Fears, David Bowie, Prince, Madonna, and even ABBA (all artists I also happen to love). His grandparents bought him his first keyboard, which was the impetus he needed to channel that creative inspiration.

Neil spent some time as a member of the bands Turbo and Ebon Night beginning in high school. He states that while he enjoyed those stints, the songs and styles he wanted to write were not always well-received by other band members, which frustrated his creative energies. For many years while building a career, he put his music on the back burner, but starting around 2011, he took up songwriting again in earnest, seemingly making up for lost time. He set up a home studio and embraced sequencing, sampling and programming, rather than playing everything manually, which has helped him produce music more easily. Still, Neil says he’s “a perfectionist when it comes to recording and writes and records at a pace that would make Kate Bush look prolific.” (Neil also has a wicked sense of humor.)

neil-billinness

Neil established an independent label NeRo Music with his late partner Robert, who he says was a continual inspiration to his songwriting, and an honest critic. Neil’s debut single “Passing Thoughts” was released in January 2016 and, tragically, Robert passed away suddenly the day after the song was released. The song calls to mind the sounds of OMD and New Order, with sharp, chiming synths and a strong pulsating beat. Neil’s vocals have a hazy, otherworldly quality as he sings “So many memories, so many fears. A bunch of photographs from through the years. I’d like to see you once again. So I could show you just how much I’ve changed.”

His wonderful follow up single “Discotheque” was a newly recorded version of the song that reached number one on the Unsigned Top Chart in late Dec 2015-early Jan 2016. This incredibly catchy EDM track, about escaping the cares and worries of everyday life and letting loose at the disco, features lush synths set to a hypnotic dance beat that aims straight for the hips. The colorful and stylish psychedelic-looking video was produced by mixing video clips of Neil’s family and friends dancing to the song with live footage of him singing it.

Neil has a strong love for Science Fiction films, which has also greatly influenced his music. Many of his songs fuse mysterious, otherworldly Sci-fi synths with EDM grooves to create really compelling instrumental music. He released some of his new and earlier recorded tracks on a few EP’s, including A New Direction, Just Me, the song Do It All Again, which includes three remixes, and the three-part song Phase Three. A New Direction and Phase Three are the most futuristic-sounding collections of his songs. Their tracks are very Sci-fi, with computerized voices talking over highly synthesized instrumentals. “The Vision” from A New Direction has a great dance beat vibe that reminds me a bit of Madonna’s “Vogue.”

Just Me features four ambient instrumental tracks, one for each season. My favorite is “Autumn” with it’s complex, multi-textured synth arrangement that contrasts between the upbeat sounds of summer’s last gasp and the brooding approach of winter.

Despite the setbacks of Robert’s death and some health issues this year, Neil is working on producing a full album which will contain his two singles along with a number of re-recorded older songs. He hopes to release the album, which will be dedicated to Robert, early in 2017.  Follow Neil on Twitter , Facebook and Instagram, and subscribe to his YouTube channel. Stream his music on Soundcloud and Spotify, and purchase on iTunes or  Amazon.

Top 20 Songs for December 18-24, 2016

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's2 Comments

1. STARBOY – The Weeknd, Daft Punk (3)
2. 24K MAGIC – Bruno Mars (4)
3. SAY MY NAME – (IAM)WARFACE (1)
4. WASTE A MOMENT – Kings of Leon (2)
5. MY NAME IS HUMAN – Highly Suspect (9)
6. WELCOME TO YOUR LIFE – Grouplove (6)
7. CLEOPATRA – The Lumineers (7)
8. SURE AND CERTAIN – Jimmy Eat World (8)
9. FEEL INVINCIBLE – Skillet (5)
10. BAD DECISIONS – Two Door Cinema Club (12)
11. BLACK BEATLES – Rae Sremmurd, Gucci Mane (19)
12. CHANGES – MUTEMATH (10)
13. THE SHAKES THAT YOU MAKE – Dyslexic Postcards (15)
14. BELONG – Shelita Burke (16)
15. OBSOLETE – Agony in the Garden (17)
16. DON’T WANNA KNOW – Maroon 5 featuring Kendrick Lamar (20)
17. LIFE ITSELF – Glass Animals (11)
18. BANG BANG – Green Day (13)
19. HEATHENS – twenty øne piløts (26th week on list)
20. MOVE – Saint Motel (N)

EP Review: BILLY MOON – “That Which You Can’t Throw Away”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews1 Comment

I recently discovered the Canadian singer/songwriter Billy Moon when I was contacted about reviewing his latest EP That Which You Can’t Throw Away, which dropped in September. Billy hails from Hamilton, Ontario, and plays a terrific and thoroughly engaging mix of alternative garage, post-grunge punk rock. As he states in his Facebook bio, “Stop listening to bad music, and listen to ShittyRocknRoll (the name of his pretty respectable 2013 debut EP). After an invitation like that, how can you possibly resist?

Hallmarks of Billy’s infectious music are his honest, straightforward lyrics, fine guitar work and beguiling vocals. His unique sound is influenced by such bands as JEFF the Brotherhood, Diarrhea Planet, Makeout Videotape, PS I Love You, Frank Zappa and Surfer Blood. That Which You Can’t Throw Away features five great tunes that address the ups and downs of love and youthful angst, while showcasing his creative songwriting and musicianship. Let’s dig into the songs.

billy-moon

The first track “Butterfly – Boyfriend’s Car” starts things off with Billy singing “I just want to cut the brakes on your boyfriend’s car. Listen to you cry as I hold you in my arms.” The buzzing bass riffs on this track are extremely good, as well as on “Long Drawled Out Story That Goes Nowhere – Sam + Alex” – a song about a couple who can’t decide whether or not they want to be together.

The wonderful track “Different Song (Same Girl)” speaks to the awkward, heart-tugging experience of meeting someone and immediately falling for them, hoping they feel the same about you. The song has a bit of a throwback doo-wop surfer vibe that conjures up images of a romantic summer evening by the beach. Billy’s heartfelt vocals perfectly convey his vulnerability: “Oh would you be so kind, as to tell me I’m fine. /I got a brand new leather jacket, that covers up all the holes in my shirt. Don’t be nasty. Say you like it.” His beautiful falsetto vocals in the chorus are sublime.

My favorite track on the EP is “Roads,” a tasty post-grunge tune with a catchy hook and languid beat. Our ears are treated to more of Billy’s awesome fuzzy guitars and compelling vocals. His falsetto and guitars in the chorus remind me a bit of Tame Impala (whose sound I adore). The lyrics address feelings of wasting time and not getting anywhere as the world passes you by. “Seems all the kids went out to Bangladesh. While I just stay at home and bang my head. Always in motion and always at rest. To sounds of people so alive some day. Somebody tell me what the fuck did I do with all my friends.” The imaginative video shows Billy sitting next to his little camper at night, smoking a cigarette and drinking a beer as he sings the song. An animated video plays on an inset in front of the camper, almost like a big flat screen TV.

“Ghosts” offers up more exceptional post-grunge sounds and powerful lyrics. “I am armed and I’m defenseless. Blind and naked in the dark. And all we do is try. We thrash around in the dark trying to find room. Trying to find walls. Something to hold on to./I think so much, but I’m not getting any smarter.” The guitar work in the final third of the song is brilliant.

All in all, That Which You Can’t Throw Away is a first-rate EP. Support Billy by following him on Twitter and Facebook, and subscribe to his YouTube channel.  Stream his music on Spotify and Soundcloud, or purchase on Bandcamp .

Featured Song and Video: CALLING ALL ASTRONAUTS – “Life As We Know It”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Artist Spotlight, Reviews2 Comments

UK band Calling All Astronauts are a London-based three-piece who play complex and dark politically-charged Electronic Goth Post-Punk music.  They’ve established a reputation in the alternative underground not only because of their often provocative lyrics, but also their ability to mix electro, rock, goth, post-punk and dubstep into their amazing music style. Band members include vocalist/songwriter/programmer and producer David B, guitarist JJ Browning, and bassist Paul “Buzz Saw” McCrudden. 

calling-all-astronauts-copy

In a divergence from their usual darker sound comes their latest single “Life As We Know It.” Taken from their superb highly topical album Anti-Social Network, it’s a really outstanding EDM track featuring gorgeous synths and chiming guitars set to an addictive driving beat. David’s rough monotone vocals contrast with the smooth clear instrumentals, creating a bit of tension that adds to the overall quality of the track. I liked it so much upon my first listen that I had to feature it on this blog.

The terrific video produced for the track features a beautiful young woman dancing to the song in various indoor and outdoor settings, as well as a few other women shown dancing in brief scenes. I promise you’ll end up hitting replay.

To learn more about Calling All Astronauts, check out their website, follow them on  Twitter and Facebook, and subscribe to their YouTube channel. Stream their music on Spotify and purchase on iTunes, Amazon, Bandcamp or EBay.

Top 20 Songs for December 11-17, 2016

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's3 Comments

1. SAY MY NAME – (IAM)WARFACE (1)
2. WASTE A MOMENT – Kings of Leon (2)
3. STARBOY – The Weeknd (4)
4. 24K MAGIC – Bruno Mars (5)
5. FEEL INVINCIBLE – Skillet (3)
6. WELCOME TO YOUR LIFE – Grouplove (7)
7. CLEOPATRA – The Lumineers (9)
8. SURE AND CERTAIN – Jimmy Eat World (10)
9. MY NAME IS HUMAN – Highly Suspect (11)
10. CHANGES – MUTEMATH (6)
11. LIFE ITSELF – Glass Animals (8)
12. BAD DECISIONS – Two Door Cinema Club (14)
13. BANG BANG – Green Day (12)
14. HEATHENS – twenty øne piløts (13)
15. THE SHAKES THAT YOU MAKE – Dyslexic Postcards (17)
16. BELONG – Shelita Burke (18)
17. OBSOLETE – Agony in the Garden (19)
18. STARS – Wons Phreely + the Horses (15)
19. BLACK BEATLES – Rae Sremmurd featuring Gucci Mane (N)
20. DON’T WANNA KNOW – Maroon 5 featuring Kendrick Lamar (N)

Featured Song & Video: SHMOO – “pLaStIc SuRgErY”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews3 Comments

Shmoo is a UK duo consisting of two brothers – David and Neil Newport – who’ve been making an exciting style of Electronic Dance/House music for some time. They just dropped their marvelous new single “Plastic Surgery,” along with one of the most delightfully entertaining videos I’ve seen in a long while.

shmoo

The guys artfully employ sweeping synth arpeggiators and smooth Moog bass lines to create an otherworldly vibe. Broken beat drops are then added, moving the song forward with a hypnotic driving rhythm guaranteed to set your hips in motion. Their mesmerizing vocals are spliced with the spoken vocoder for the chorus ‘plastic surgery,’ giving the track a bit of an eerie sci-fi feel. This is an awesome song that had me hitting replay.

The fun and clever video tells a story in which Shmoo are recreated as plastic figures who go on an adventure through a fantasy world, where they encounter characters from Star Wars, Transformers, Thunder Cats, He-Man and Zoids. The guys end up at the Star Wars Cantina, where they’re led to a stage and begin performing the song with other characters.

Learn more about Shmoo by following them on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram. Subscribe to their YouTube channel and stream their music on  Soundcloud and  Spotify.  Purchase “Plastic Surgery” and their other music on Bandcamp,  iTunes or other music platforms.

Album Review: ASHES IN THE SKY – “Relentless”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews1 Comment

Metal and Hardcore Rock – and all their variations such as Post-Hardcore, Metalcore, Death Metal, Death Core, Nu Metal, Groove Metal, Doom, etc. – continue to remain popular, with a steady number of talented bands making those types of music coming onto the scene. As a result of discovering several really good hardcore and heavy metal bands, I’ve become a bigger fan of those genres myself. One such band I recently discovered when their bassist contacted me about reviewing their album is Ashes In The Sky, a five piece hard rock/metal band from Long Island, New York. They released their album Relentless in July 2016, and it’s quite appropriately titled, with 11 intense, ball-busting tracks that will have you shouting fuck yeah!

Formed in 2010, Ashes In The Sky now consists of twin brothers and original members Patrick and Anthony “Javs”  Javino, and their ‘three best friends’ Dave Lombardo, Anthony Villani and Andrew Kohn. Javs plays lead guitar, Patrick hits drums, Anthony plays bass, Andrew sings lead vocals and Dave plays rhythm guitar and provides the brutal screams. They’re all from Long Island and share a strong passion for music. Like many bands, their sound is influenced by some of their favorite artists, most notably Metallica, Avenged Sevenfold, Bullet For My Valentine, Disturbed, Pantera, Trivium, Drowning Pool, Queen, and even The Beatles.

ashes-in-the-sky

Relentless opens with the gorgeous one and a half minute intro track “Spread the Ashes (A New Fire).” A simple, haunting piano movement starts things off, then strings, guitars and percussion usher in a sweeping rock melody that builds until it explodes into the blistering second track “Here to Stay.” Metallica’s influence is really apparent in this song, with a barrage of rapid-fire machine-gun guitar riffs, pummeling bass and hammering drums. Andrew Kohn passionately sings, with Dave Lombardo screaming the refrains: “No more fighting now, we are all here to stay / Conflicted by your laws no, I will always remain.”

The band launches a full-frontal assault on the title track “Relentless.” The song truly lives up to its name, with guitars so hard-hitting and dense that they feel and sound like heavy percussion. Patrick Javino’s speaker-blowing drums ramp up the song’s intensity to even greater heights, and the ear-splitting vocals are downright fearsome. This merciless track will blow the hair right off your head! The guys don’t skip a beat with “Euthanasia,” a bombastic hardcore anthem about fighting against mind-control. With their furious vocals, Kohn and Lombardo spit the lyrics  “Don’t be a pussy, what the fuck’s it gonna do? / Why can’t I just say goodbye? You made me control everything yet nothing at all. Before me there lies a path of destruction.” The song’s bridge contains a military-style chorus “I don’t know what I’ve been told. Your prophecies are getting old.”

The next several album cuts fuse melodic arrangements with the band’s signature heavy metal instrumentals. “Coward” is more straight-up hard rock, with stunning, complex guitar riffs, power drums, crashing cymbals and soaring vocals that implore “You’re nothing but a fucking coward, using love to get your way. So please don’t ask me if I think that you’re the one to blame.” This is one of my favorite tracks – if it’s even possible to have a ‘favorite’ as every track on this album is pretty phenomenal.

“Empty Space” is a great melodic track, with more of the band’s killer guitar work and a combination of both heartfelt and fierce vocals. The compelling lyrics speak to feelings of loss from a failed relationship: “I’ll say anything to make you stay. But words won’t fill this empty space / What is my purpose? What am I fighting for?” “Rain” starts off with a beautiful, rather mournful melody accompanied by multi-textured guitars, strong percussion and Kohn’s impassioned vocals, backed by guest vocalist Lauren DeLorenzo. Halfway through, we’re hit with a sudden blast of staccato guitars and guttural screams, then an onslaught of incredible guitar solos guaranteed to raise goosebumps.

The band unleashes its sonic fury in “Torn Away,” one of the standout tracks on the album. This jaw-dropping song kicks major ass! The guitars and percussion are nothing short of monumental, and the vocals are classic hardcore. As if Kohn and Lombardo’s powerful vocals aren’t fearsome enough, Kohn’s brother Tim’s guest vocals on this track are positively brutal. They scream “WHY!? Did it have to end this way?  (Couldn’t I make it okay?) All that’s loved is lost as I am torn away.” By song’s end I’m left speechless. I love the powerful video showing the band performing the song in a barn.

The final three tracks – “What Makes a Man,” the bombastic “Ene(me)” and “Fractures” – serve up more helpings of the band’s rapid-fire shredded and distorted guitars and heavy bass, along with both emphatic and hardcore vocals. All three songs are great, each clocking in at more than five and half minutes. “Ene(me)” is particularly brutal.

Ashes in the Sky is one of the better hard rock/heavy metal bands I’ve come across, and Relentless is a superb album, without a single throwaway song. Support these guys by following them on  Facebook and Twitter and subscribe to their YouTube channel, which features several videos of Tony Javs performing guitar cover solos of heavy metal songs. Stream their music on Spotify or Google Play, and purchase on iTunes or Amazon.