MUSIC REVIEWS

Sylvie’s Songs’ latest single, “Heart Break Like Mine (feat. Bryon Harris),” is not just a song—it’s an impassioned anthem that calls listeners to wake up, empathize, and take action for the countless animals suffering in factory farms. In a world where we are often desensitized to the harsh realities around …

It’s that time of year again, folks—when stepping into any store, flipping on the radio, or innocently scrolling through a playlist means being ambushed by holiday music. Whether it’s Mariah Carey reminding you she’s still defrosting her vocal cords or Wham!’s “Last Christmas” lurking around the corner like a bad …

The collaboration of veteran composer and sound designer Giles Lamb with television and theatre production visionary Sacha Kyle makes Curious Dreamers a must-hear. Lamb’s deep background in film, television, and games, among other venues, supplies an unique dimension to this project. URL: https://curiousdreamers.com/ He’s versatile enough to command modernist music …

Finis Smith will be with us for years, if not decades, to come. It isn’t often that you can say that about a young musical talent. No one is accustomed to hearing an early release from an up-and-coming vocalist and finishing the first listen convinced they’re a major, possibly transformative, …

Evidence aplenty for Daryl Mosley’s spiritual beliefs fills his fourth Pinecastle Records solo release Long Days & Short Stories. However, you don’t need to share his faith to get something meaningful from his songs. Mosley composed nine of the album’s ten songs by himself, working with a single co-writer on one. …

The imaginative yet unusual aesthetic fueling Hecojeni’s musical art is born from influences as diverse as college rock, folk-rock, alternative, and indie. They are firing down a highly individual trail that erases the traditional distance between performer and audience and encourages an unlikely but stirring collaboration between the creators and …

Seven songs on Route 3’s new release Just Believe may seem a paltry offering. We live in an age where Bigger is Better, and, as any longtime music listener will note, the standard for what constitutes a full-length album release has drastically changed over the last three-plus decades. By some listener’s estimation, Just …

The holiday season brings its own soundtrack each year, with classic carols, familiar jingles, and timeless tunes that fill our homes and shopping malls. But every now and then, an artist manages to deliver a fresh take on holiday music that stands out in a sea of tradition. This year, …

HebbaJebba’s second album, Number 2, feels like a love letter to the indie DIY music scene, where heart, humor, and raw talent often trump polished perfection. Since their self-titled debut in 2021, the band has evolved from a group of friends making music for the joy of it into a …

Adam Christian Bass’ debut album Between Worlds opens new avenues of self-expression for this freewheeling creative spirit. Tenures as a teacher, filmmaker, and coach manifested an underlying desire to tell or facilitate stories, and turning to actual songwriting is a natural evolution. Bass labored mightily to realize the potential evidenced during Between …