Folk, Music Review

Music Review: Ethan Jano – ‘I’ll be Fine’

Ethan Jano is a young folk singer originally from Pennsylvania bringing together a collection of twelve tracks to be released in album form in February this year. There is an interesting mix of simplicity in the instrumentation with complexity in the vocal delivery and in the lyrics that lovers of the genre would appreciate. Dashes… Read More Music Review: Ethan Jano – ‘I’ll be Fine’

Country, Music Review

Music Review: CommonUnion59 – ‘Heartbeat Serenade’

Slated to be released in February 2015, Heartbeat Serenade is the third full-length album released by CommonUnion59, a duo comprised of Steve McKenzie (vocal, guitar, banjo) and Laura Malasig (vocal, piano, glockenspiel) and helped by Kevin Hayes (drums, percussions) and Jake Leckie (bass). The San Francisco based pair write and perform original music that although… Read More Music Review: CommonUnion59 – ‘Heartbeat Serenade’

Ambient, Electronic, Music Review

Music Review: The Kiss That Took A Trip – ‘Electroforest’

Madrid’s The Kiss That Took A Trip is in fact a one man affair; M.D. Trello takes care of the computers, the programming, the vocals, and the guitars that created the fifteen-track album Electroforest released in November of this year. Trello states that he has no other aim but “to build a consistent and lasting… Read More Music Review: The Kiss That Took A Trip – ‘Electroforest’

Folk, Music Review

Music Review: i am Love – ‘i am Love’

To be released mid-January 2015, Philadelphia folk band i am Love’s self-titled offering is a progressive folk rock album using cello, woodwinds, zither, sax, and reverb. (And yes, I had to look up what a zither is.) Joshua Christopher (vocals, guitars, chorded zither), Will Whitmire (bass, banjo), and Kris Jackson (percussion, keyboard, vocals) have put… Read More Music Review: i am Love – ‘i am Love’

Dance, Music Review, Pop

Music Review: Anne Simone – ‘Bittersweet’

There are many reasons for giving new artists a try. Anne Simone piqued my interest because of the following words she wrote: “I am a citizen of the world./I tread gently on this earth./My glass is always half full./I celebrate differences./I believe music soothes the soul./I aspire to be the change I want to see.”… Read More Music Review: Anne Simone – ‘Bittersweet’

Music Review, Soul

Music Review: Lovesucker – ‘Lovesucker’

An interesting mix of gypsy inspired sounds are blended in with soul and a dab of rock in Lovesucker’s self-titled EP, released in October 2014. The North Carolina duo— Crystal Cosby (vocals) and Zoltan Von Bury (instruments)—manage to bring these distinct styles together to almost create a unique, fourth genre they refer to as “gypsy… Read More Music Review: Lovesucker – ‘Lovesucker’

Music Review, Pop, Rock

Music Review: The Workers – ‘Totem’

New York City self-proclaimed alternative rock band The Workers released last month an EP entitled Totem. Its three tracks– the opening “Death Race”, “Boomerang”, and “Big Time”, all reflect a certain dark wistful energy. They all also are simple while featuring intricate instrumentation by its seven member band: Dan Greenwald (lead vocals, acoustic guitar), Will… Read More Music Review: The Workers – ‘Totem’

Electronic, Music Review

Music Review: goste – ‘Eugene’

Brooklyn-based experimental electronic artist goste released earlier this month his third EP titled Eugene. goste, whose real name is Owen Ross, is a producer, instrumentalist, and composer; one of the unique features of his music is that he adds his own vocals to tracks. While goste is a solo project, the EP also features Chris… Read More Music Review: goste – ‘Eugene’

Music Review, Soul

Music Review: Pacanomad – ‘Restless’

The energy of rock and the emotions of soul come together in Pacanomad’s debut five track EP Restless. The four member Canadian indie rock and R&B band, comprised of Chantel Rivard (vocals), Nick Cifaldi (guitar), Dave Ball (bass), and Zack Stewart (drums), build on the strength of Rivard’s smoky vocals and Cifaldi’s guitar skills to… Read More Music Review: Pacanomad – ‘Restless’

Artist Spotlight, Putting Humanity back into Arts, Writing

Artist Spotlight: Dust on the Radio

Many old projects came back to the light while I was putting together the forthcoming book Six Years Later: Midnight Musings of an Overactive Mind. One of them was the feature titled “Putting Humanity Back into Arts” that I launched in 2008. The objective was to have conversations with various artists who were trying to… Read More Artist Spotlight: Dust on the Radio