The Gnine is an alternative rock band founded in 2008 in Moscow. In summer 2014 the band released their new EP album called #3. This is either their 3rd album or boobs sign, but the cover attracts attention immediately. The album has five songs, each very different from the other. There are five different moods on this album: it starts with agressive and powerful Break and ends by melodic and romantic 5 a.m.
Dave Atencio is a singer-songwriter with two albums under his belt. His debut in 2009 “Little Square Box” that can be found on CDBaby and his latest “Southbound Train” that’s sold almost 8,000 copies so far on iTunes. When he’s not releasing records Dave can be found around giving fans what they crave because as he sings in the almost Country jam session of “Southbound Train,” “music makes me free.” He’s an artist that not only sings that sentiment but believes it fully as he brings forth delight in his music like the sweet and beach-like ways created in “Ukulele Jam,” or the funky beat produced with “Make You Dance.” All in all you can sum up Dave’s voice in “56 Hope Road.” It’s a clear cut singer-songwriter piece that showcases a man with only his trusty guitar in hand. If you’re into music that’s a little bit Country and a whole lot of fun, check out Dave Atencio now. (https://www.daveandthebox.com/)
Frank Horvat Band – Strange Machine
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/frankhorvatofficial
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/frankhorvat
Front man, Frank Horvat, acts as songwriter, keyboardist and sometime singer but leaves the parts you really want to hear to TFHB’s main vocalist, Felicity Williams, who has lent her gift to many other great Canadian acts such as Bahamas, Snowblink, Hobson’s Choice and Alex Lukashevsky. THOMAS’ Thom Gill adds his languid guitar to the sound while multi-instrumentalists, Bram Gielen, on bass and Evan Tighe, on drums and percussion, add to the great wall of texture that makes the band’s distinct sound.
Tito Javonte Miller AKA Bigg Baby is another YouTube hopeful looking for your love. “Singing in the Rain” isn’t what I expected. It’s literally Bigg Baby driving around in the rain singing. Well at least there were no other surprises. Only that he has a very skillful voice that carries well in the atmosphere of his vehicle. It’s not a cover of the classic “Singing in the Rain” but rather just as explanation as his uplfting lyrics are delivered in a clear and precise R&B manner. His other track, “Gospel,” has that same smooth vocal vibe. He sounds like someone that gets a chair to turn on The Voice. If you like R&B, check out Bigg Baby today. (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoqTI0RohNRQAj7uXKqAJ9g/videos)
Cookie Watkins is a New Yorker with an eclectic sound. “Still Deep In Love” has a reggae undertone but her vocals come off clear and smooth like clear cut R&B. It’s clear that Cookie loves to experiment with different styles. She just intertwined a tropical feel with soul, and then hopped onto a dance train with the remix to “Doctor Love.” As for the original version of the track, it has that reggae and R&B mix going on again. Finally “This Love Is Activating.” This one is the powerhouse of the batch. It falls into the dance category like the remix, but it’s those huge notes at the start that really push this one over the threshold into another place. If you’re a fan of dancing or just new types of music, check out Cookie Watkins today. She’s definitely in a category all her own. (https://www.jango.com/music/Cookie+Watkins?l=0)
Tony DeStefano is a singer-songwriter who can really write a tune. “Me And You” sounds like it could use some fine tuning. That’s all technicalities though. Other than that the lyrics that are chalked full of love are sweet. The musical intro of “I Don’t Want to Lose You” is just stellar and is matched by wonderful thought out lyrics once again. We step away from the romance and into the patriotic with “America In Need” and take a stance, while we head to church with the folky ways of “God Is With Us. Tony DeStefano sounds like he’s been working in music for a good while. It’s got this antiqe quality that older music fans will appreciate because they grew up in a time before music was delivered in a overly processed package and was just raw. If you like singer-songwriters that have that feel, check out Tony DeStefano today. (https://soundcloud.com/tonydestefano)
Band: We Live in Sod Houses
CD: Shark for a Week
Score: 3.5/5 Stars
URL: https://www.facebook.com/pages/WeLiveinSodHouses/108724862490667
I think all of us want to be a Shark for a Week. It’s easy to know how to categorize a band like “We Live in Sod Houses.” This Mid-West musical two-some consisting primarily Dustin DeBoer (Guitar & Vocals), Rachel DeBoer (Vocals and Percussion) just released their latest release entitled “Shark for a Week” in 2014. “Shark for a Week” keeps it teal and is one of the more upbeat, funny, quirky and brightly flavored rock releases I’ve heard this year. But most importantly if comes with real thought provoking messages. I enjoy these “couple-type-bands” even though they may not ne a couple they are the vocal front. It’s not so cheesy and sappy like some I’ve heard recently, this one is not so dark and apocalyptic steeped in the fog of shock rock but it does have a small dose of confusion inserted. I mean lighten up will you! This 13 track release has got some sold melodies and impressive musicianship to boot – which is a rarity in today music. Not only are these guys excellent musicians, their contributions to the writing and arrangements of the songs have been of paramount importance-which is to say nothing of the infections and contagious chemistry these two share – in the studio or live. Watch the YOU TUBE video below to see what I’m talking about.
The Royal Guard
5 songs from “Hail the King”
URL: https://www.theroyalguardband.com/
So who are The Royal Guard? The Royal Guard is Todd Davidson (Lead Vocals, Guitar), Andy Ascolese (Guitar, Vocals), Fred Scragg (Drums). Upon returning back home to NYC after living 5 years in Eastern Europe, Todd was ready to create, exciting music that can reach young people. First he called Fred. They worked great together but something was missing. The next call was to Andy and everything started falling into place. Their Sophomore release is due out early Next year but for now the band has given us 5 new tracks to chew on available on their Reverbnation Page linked at the bottom.