MUSIC REVIEWS

In their new extended play, appropriately titled 100% Cool, rockers JD & the RetroRyders don’t waste our time with a cerebral intro or any sort of pomp and prestige unbecoming of a true rock band – they jump right into the fire with “If It’s Out There It’s Mine.” Loaded with …

In his debut single, the cosmopolitan “Lemon,” Hewas establishes himself as a melody-focused singer and songwriter above all else. Mixing together a bit of old school pop aesthetics with contemporary muscularity with regards to instrumentation, Hewas unleashes a powerful cocktail of urban rhythm and rhyme that could make any casual …

The second release from the experimental/ambient duo Book of Clouds, Heavy Chains, is a challenging but rewarding music listening experience. The six songs included on this release are taken from live performances with Federico Balducci on guitar and Ian Bouras providing evocative sound effects throughout. A third musician, sax player …

Rich with vitality and yet somewhat pained in the poetic emissions it offers, Jim Lord’s vocal is always the melodic center of any song he puts his name on, and this is especially true of his new singles “Helplessly I Fell” and “Little Star.” The title track of his latest …

2020 has felt like the year of Americana no matter what channel of the pop music lexicon you’re interested in, but on the flip side of the movement, artists like Ted Cline have been inspired to keep the flag of puritan country music flying as high as ever before. Rather …

Mixing a little bit of country, blues, folk and pop/rock together in a single isn’t exactly a new idea, but that doesn’t make the cocktail Mad River puts together for the world in “Come As You Are” any less exciting this June. Available in both single and lyric video formats, …

In the lyric video for their cover of the classic pop staple “I Can See Clearly Now,” The Side Deal offer a full-bodied pop/rock response to the pessimism that has run rampant in pop culture recently. There are no clouds in the sky here, nor are there any vague references …

The late John Prine provided a unique voice to some of Americana’s greatest songs. His storytelling, his talent for finding the beauty in everyday people and plain livin’. Not as widely known, but just as poetic and talented is the witty Paul Mark & The Van Dorens. The New Yorkers’ …

Churning in a vortex of seduction, the beat in JTK’s new single “No Be Mouth (feat. Tunji)” grabs listeners from the get-go and doesn’t release us until the song has come to an end. Perhaps even more powerful than JTK’s swarthy vocal in a couple of spots, the rhythm in …

Go Back Where They Came From is the latest album from Montana’s King Ropes. Featuring interpretations of songs that have greatly influenced the band. Among the gems are covers from Ray Charles, Beastie Boys and even Arcade Fire. True to the spirit of the originals, King Ropes’ versions bring a …