2014/09 - month - Indie Music Reviews

Deer MiLo Does It Top 40 Style

Tue, 30 Sep 2014 00:00:00 +0000

Deer MiLo is an R&B artist that’s worth the watch. “Didn’t You Know” comes on like a cross between hip hop and pop. It’s very Top 40 sounding like something Travie McCoy would put out. Then with “Oleandar Lane” things take a turn towards the R&B way of life. It’s got a sense of sensuality and definitely has what it takes to be a love making song. “Never Single” starts with Deer MiLo singing well and pristine. You get a sense that he’s coming from a fine tuned musical background or was born with those pipes. Either way, he sounds on point in this romantic track. Ending the MiLo party is “Fuss.” This track is a perfect one to end with. It ties everything in together by not being too much and just showcasing what Deer MiLo can really do with his vocal skills. If you’re a fan of acts like Usher and Ne-Yo, then check out Deer MiLo. (https://soundcloud.com/deermilo)

Denise Edwards Sings for the Heavens

Tue, 30 Sep 2014 00:00:00 +0000

Denise Edwards is an uplifting Christian artist who is a native to South Dakota, but who has since taken her music all over the globe. “God Cares About You” is a well sung track that keeps things positive and you can’t really help but do anything but listen and smile as she belts it out. With “My God Can” she gets a little heavier in the music, just a bit. Her vocals are still pure as can be though. If you’re a fan of Christian music that sounds like the heavens and really like to be on your feet when you listen, then check out what is going on with Denise Edwards. She’s got two LPs, a Christmas record and more music on the way. So check her out today. (https://deniseedwardsmusic.net/)

Minister CH1 Funks Up Gospel Music In a Good Way

Tue, 30 Sep 2014 00:00:00 +0000

Minister CH1 is a well rounded artist who does things for a higher power. “Get Up” is a bit funky for the Christian world. It’s definitely got this modern feel and makes it a cool beat for the church. You still have that modern twist with “Let’s Praise Him.” The delivery has this cool cat feel but with some soul undertones. In “Homies & P’s” you hear that Gospel in Minister CH1’s influence. It actually takes on an old school hip hop feel as well. Things kind of go the same way with “I Surrender My All.” Then “The Lord Is Coming Back” has this soul intertwined with funky mood to it. In the end you have a lot of great variety within the walls that Minister CH1’s music sits. All in all though it’s all for a good cause - the Lord. So if that’s what you’re into, check out Minister CH1 now. (https://www.reverbnation.com/ministerch1)

Russ Steele Smooths Out that Pop

Tue, 30 Sep 2014 00:00:00 +0000

Russ Steele is a pop rock artist from Brooklyn…Park that is in Maryland. “Sacred Geometry” is a very smooth pop song. It has this mature tone to it and just flows great. It definitely is one of those songs that allow it to be a calming mechanism. With “LulluBye for ‘J’” you get a soft vocal performance, hence the lullaby in the title. “Hold You In My Heart” reminds me and I’m sure will remind some of you of the soundtrack to Disney’s “Oliver & Company” - mostly the intro song. It has this Billy Joel vibe to it. Things pick up with “The End” a bit and then we round our time with Russ Steele with “Hole In The River.” It’s a great track that combines fine tuned playing with settled vocals. If you’re into the Piano Man with some rock, check out Russ Steele today. (https://www.reverbnation.com/rsteele)

Ian Loche Rocks From Tennessee

Sun, 28 Sep 2014 00:00:00 +0000

Ian Loche comes to you from the east side of Tennessee. Named after a whiskey, this guy’s music tastes just as good. Looking at Loche you had to assume that “Sock Et 2 Me” was going to have some rocking elements to it and right off the bat it did. It’s like early ’90s rock ala Guns N’ Roses. With “Got Faith” you still have that feel but a little more singing involved. “Energy Never Dies” slows things down in a Soundgarden way, while “Rat Race (Part 1)” and “Rat Race (Part 2)” round out Ian Loche’s sound by taking one idea and putting it out there in two very different ways. If you’re a fan of rock that has a little edge to it, check out Ian Loche now. (https://www.ianlocheproject.com/)

MrGrumpy Wants You to Move

Sun, 28 Sep 2014 00:00:00 +0000

MrGrumpy is electronica artist from Canada who brings the good times. “Epicology” builds up into this great dance track that makes you just want to keep things going all night. Lokka jumps on and helps out with “Into the Night.” This one slows things down at the start but then picks up soon after it begins. This one is more about creating a story thanks to the lyrics added. “Start Again” starts the party right away and doesn’t let up. It has this very cheery feel to it right from the get go. In “Colors” Cory Friesenhan hops on and together there is this great back and forth that creates more of an essence than a song. You get the sense that MrGrumpy is all about having a good time in every track, but that is definitely the case with “3 Mins of Happy.” You won’t be on that dance floor without a smile, that’s a guarantee. (https://www.jango.com/music/MrGrumpy?l=0)

Tony Cesarano: Enchantment

Sun, 28 Sep 2014 00:00:00 +0000

Tony Cesarano’s “Enchantment” is for those who like to create moods with their music like no other. “Did You Know” has a very upbeat, professional feel to it and is a great way to set up the rest of the record. The title track offers a sense of cool cat. You can’t help but move a little with a finger in the air and be transported back in time with it. “Samba School” picks up the beat and gives you a reason to dance all night. Then you slow it down just a bit with “Isanbul” while you round out “Enchantment” with a sassy undertaking thanks to “Tunesville.” If you’re a fan of contemporary Jazz, please make sure to take more than a second and check out Tony Cesarano’s “Enchantment,” out now. (https://www.cdbaby.com/cd/tonycesarano)

Ed Robinson Creates Musical Escapes

Thu, 25 Sep 2014 00:00:00 +0000

Ed Robinson is a musician with a career that spans over two decades and his professionalism shines bright. “Knockin on Heaven’s Door” is a song you put on and get lost in. It’s well sung and made so that you’re never questioning anything - you’re just letting it flow from your speaker, through you and out into the world. With “Follow My Heart” you get another song like the last. Robinson sure knows how to perform in a way that makes you forget your worries in an instant. “If Only for One Nite” is another love song like that last and instead of handling like a reggae track, it has more soul and R&B influences. It’s a nice change up and showcases Ed’s versatility. If you’re a fan of Reggae and soul, check out all Ed Robinson has to offer today. (https://edrobinsonmusic.com/Site/Welcome.html)

Ray Heable: Poor Boy From Louisiana

Tue, 23 Sep 2014 00:00:00 +0000

Ray Heable is a classic Country artist with a whole bag of goodies in his pocket. “Gimme, Gimme, Gimme” is a good time from the start. It starts right away with this welcoming voice. You can hear the smile in his voice and you can’t help but sing along to this unconventional love song. It’s all about the physical with this one, but that’s not a problem. It’s one of those Country songs that would get the bar going at any point in the night. That track is among many on Ray Heable’s “Poor Boy From Louisiana” album. It sits alongside the title track that’s a gem as well as “Mama’s Dream,” which takes the party atmosphere down just a notch and showcases a more sentimental side of Ray’s songwriting. That heartfelt idea plays well with “A Woman’s Heart Is Fragile” as well. Rounding this one out we take a look at the fun one with “State Highway Patrol.” No one wants to encounter one in reality, but in song it’s just fine. So if you’re a fan of the old school ways of Country music, the roots of it all - check out Ray Heable today. (https://www.rayheablemusic.com/)

They Made Monsters - Scaringly real music

Mon, 22 Sep 2014 00:00:00 +0000

Wonky and brittle, ‘Time To Breathe’ starts off airy and light but shifts almost immediately into an explosion of sound.

Hailing from Swansea, Wales, Steve Lock delivers his own brand of music as They Made Monsters.

Settling somewhere between alternative rock and hip-hop, this track from They Made Monsters is wide ranging in its range of tones. It blends squelchy dance synth sounds with blissed out keyboard pad washes to create a broad and deep soundscape. ‘Time To Breathe’ is well titled, as it gives plenty of room to manoeuvre through its female vocal led chorus and male rap sections during the course of its five minute run time. The rap is noteworthy as it’s confrontational without being aggressive, while Sharon O’Brien’s guest vocal on the chorus serves as the perfect contrast, her notes bending and swaying around the synths as they spill over the sonic horizon.