Matt Hannah – Dreamland

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/events/994596870632548/ 

The sophomore album from Minneapolis based singer/songwriter Matt Hannah follows his critically lauded 2014 full length debut Let the Lonely Fade and sets the bar even higher than that memorable first offering did. The new ten song collection is nothing less than a poetic exploration of serious themes, all of the songs exploring similar ground from different musical and lyrical angles, far outpacing the work of many peers. The collection’s musical influences are, not unexpectedly, largely folk in origin, but there’s discernible shades of blues and country informing many of the performances and fits in nicely with his dominant approach. The lyrical content is often sophisticated, but never so much so that its meaning will elude listeners. This is a performer of deceptive power and remarkable clarity. He doesn’t waste a single note musically and, likewise, his writing has the sort of focus and intent lacking in countless other artists, regardless of genre.  

The Righteous Hillbillies - Two Wheels Down a Lost Highway

URL: https://righteoushillbillies.com 

Since their 2008 debut, The Righteous Hillbillies have shared stages with a virtual who’s who of American roots music luminaries and earned a reputation as one of the nation’s most pre-eminent and popular live acts in that area. Their three recordings have earned fulsome praise from important voices in the genre who recognize their faithfulness to tradition while signaling them out for their fresh revitalization of longstanding forms. It’s difficult to deliver anything beyond entertainment with this music – experienced listeners have, frankly, heard all of the possible songs in every possible permutation. The Righteous Hillbillies, however, recognize a critical point few of their peers in this genre ever fully understand – blues rock in 2016 will only succeed and show staying power if the artist or performers in question infuse these hoary conventions with as much of their personality and experiences as they can bring to bear. The Righteous Hillbillies’ fourth album, Two Wheels Down a Lost Highway, bear the fruits of that lesson. 

Charlie Blvck's official video for the banging single "Started From Beginning"

Emish – Live

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/emishmusic/ 

New York Celtic folk songwriters and performers Emish, formed in 2005, have experienced considerable success since the beginning thanks to their distinctive mix of original songwriting and fidelity to traditional forms. They really have struck on a new blend for this sort of music – it recalls the past while still honoring the present and allows their songwriting to find a musical vehicle for self-expression that they show enormous talent using. Their first live collection, simply entitled Live, is a mammoth cross section of covers and tracks from the band’s preceding studio albums and celebrates the band’s tenth anniversary as a performing unit. The live album, once a staple in popular music, has tumbled in popularity through the years, but Emish do things the right way – it’s nearly revelatory to hear so many familiar songs from the studio albums find new and vivid life on the stage, Moreover, the band’s same resolute avoidance of self indulgence continues here as well and the performances are punch and to the point.  

Dark Gothic Folk Project Tamerlan Adds Experimental Edge on Latest Release, ‘Luciferian’

The Sound of Curves - Gone Gatsby

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/soundofcurves/ 

Rock music has been forced, by commercial demands and the culture as a whole, to transform itself in order to survive as a viable artistic force. As it always has been, it’s a genre reliant on its performers to bring a healthy dose of personality to bear so that the standard array of clichés and poses are invigorated and seem fresh for each new generation of listeners. The Sound of Curves understands this. Their third album Gone Gatsby exists within a specific genre and tradition, but the songwriting isn’t simply paint by numbers nonsense. The band certainly has its own style and they aren’t afraid to exploit it, but they are likewise emboldened to attack these tunes with creativity and tweak the formulas with some truly individual touches that elevate the compositions far past their normal métier. One can hear a band reaching for something new on this album, a next step in their evolution, and bands willing to do that are, typically, the ones who survive along enough to feel posterity’s warmth.  

Souleye - Snow Angel

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/souleye/ 

Some of Souleye’s story is connected to self-realization and how it informs his musical content. It’s coupled with an encouraging positive message that’s never hackneyed or cheesy – instead, the essence of Souleye’s music has its base in how personal experience transforms our hearts and relationship to the world. The latest entry in his discography, “Snow Angel”, comes from the upcoming full length release Wild Man. It’s a track that differs slightly from his usual fare. There is no great call to arms here; instead, “Snow Angel” carries listeners through a musical landscape of seamless loops and electronic melodies helping propel the story of a relationship fraught with tension that the two partners struggle past in order to come together again. It features Souleye’s spouse Alanis Morisesette in a guest role and her contributions to the song rank among its highlights. Produced by Crush Effect, this atmospheric single is a grand follow up to Wild Man’s first single “Follow Your Heart”. 

Nick Black - Deep Blue

URL: https://nickblackmusic.com/ 

Anyone who thinks cutting edge soul and R&B music is a thing of the distant past needs to hear this album. Post haste. Nick Black’s debut The Soul Diaries served notice that a major new talent had arrived on the scene, but his second album Deep Blue is a tour de force moving through an astonishing variety of sounds without ever losing its grip on the genre’s central strengths. The songwriting subjects don’t stake out new ground in the annals of popular song, but they treat these tried and true subjects with an individuality listeners don’t often here in 21st century songwriting. The songwriting’s touch with unique turns of phrase extends to his equally idiosyncratic refurbishing of seminal American-born musical styles. It never sounds hollow. Instead, this creative re-envisioning of the form resurrects the style for modern audiences without ever losing the music’s core spirit.