MUSIC REVIEWS

Right from the start, the dirty strings in Jarod Grubb’s “Hold On” are giving a pretty good indication as to the sensuousness of the ballad that lay before us. There’s a raw simplicity to the opening bars of this single that is a bit deceptive in the sense that it …

Max Feinstein’s journey leading him to write and record his album Redefine isn’t especially unusual. We’ve heard of artists, musicians or otherwise, overcoming medical difficulties to produce memorable and lasting work. It isn’t his struggle with hemophilia and its side effects that set him apart. It’s the wild and rollicking creativity present …

Barry Muir has been setting the standard in his scene for a minute now, but in the new single “She’s a Little Wildflower,” he advances his melodic output far beyond what a lot of his contemporaries are capable of even envisioning. While simplistic in structure, this track invites us into …

Using rhythm as a tool for communication falls under the modus operandi of most modern rappers; that said, when Luigui Bleand is doing it in his new single “Gomelo,” it feels as fresh and contemporary a technique as anything else in this rising star’s profile does. Bleand isn’t the type …

The dynamic Steve Markoff and Patricia Lazzara are collaborating again. This time, the two flutists are covering the Howie Day pop track “Collide”. Capturing the romanticism, the starry-night imagery, the instrumental track is a dazzling display of sonic beauty. Featuring the wonderful piano performance of Grammy nominated Allison Brewster Franzetti, …

When you get the ball rolling as hard as skinsNbones does in their new single “Is There Meaning,” it’s a decent likelihood you play alternative rock the right way. The frills, the fluff, the flat out fatty tones that we used to get away with some ten years ago have …

New Zealand’s Arun O’Connor follows up his recent success with “Too Far Gone” with a new single entitled “Star of Your Own Show”. His continuing exploration of Americana influences may seem a bit incongruous on the surface, but O’Connor’s ability to meld an accessible pop approach with musical authenticity sets …

We’re not more than a few bars deep in the song “Owner of This Heart” before it becomes more than apparent how important hedonistic riffing is going to be to Starfire in their new album Dreaming of Your Destiny. There’s not much to the construction of this piece – instrumentally speaking, …

There’s something devilishly addictive about the giant beat that kicks off “Way Far Back,” and even without the presence of Steve Hill sitting in with Wave 21 for this performance, it would nonetheless feel like one of the hotter tracks on the band’s album Brace Yourself. The vocal harmonies are …

Illuminaut’s self-titled EP doesn’t start with a lot of fireworks, but instead an insistent beat soon joined by a brittle but undisputedly pristine vocal that comes in strong contrast to its instrumental backdrop. Blaze Powers is owning the verses with a delicate command in “The Grey,” but her counterpart in …