Bruno and Chris Koziel make up The Conviction. Together they have created their single “I Don’t Know Why.” It has this epic Ryan Adams like feel to it. It’s the kind of song that reminds me of romantic movies of the ’80s and ’90s. It has the power to drive a scene and to captivate away from the screen as well. The lyrics and the music flow seamlessly together. It’s a great song for those who love those power pop ballads. If you’re a fan of those, check out The Conviction today with their single “I Don’t Know Why.” (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEt_UkrwAKY-8n-WiqTK6AQ)

Bob Frank’s “She Pawned her Diamond for Some Gold” is a heartfelt Country song that has a blues undertone with the sadness in the vocals but the music in the distance lightens up the track just a bit. The singing is genuine, but then the more monologue part definitely gives you that Country feel of storytelling. You have to really appreciate the strings heard throughout. They, along with the story really make this song a stand out character. If you’re a fan of mountain like Country music, check out Bob Frank today. (https://bobfranksongs.com/)

Eugene Smiley Sr. was born in New Orleans and you can hear that southern influence in his music that’s a mixture of classic blues and the roots of R&B. “Time To Get Out of Here” has this old school soul feel and sounds like a summer day. The pace is mid-tempo and real and causes you to just groove slightly. With “I’m The Only Man” the beat is stepped up a bit and it’s a feel good track. What’s great about it is the presentation and the confidence in the lyrics. We get funky with “Straighten Up Woman.” Storytelling at its finest, that’s this song. Smiley slows things down with “The Dream” but picks them back up with, ironically, “Love Lifted Me Up.” If you miss the sounds of the upbeat blues and crave some soul, check out Eugene Smiley Sr. today. (https://kcityrecords.com/index/)

Shan-i-muzik is a Reggae artist from Jamaica so you know he knows what he’s doing. “Too Greedy” has this great flow to it and the lyrics are insightful. With “The Way the Place a Run” you get a very good feel for the island influence in the start and you can hear the accent heavily. It’s a slow jam that has a chill beat. Then “Every Breath” has a lot of heart and captures who the artist is as a person. Lastly you get “Still A Move Right!” and it has this great positive message and is really enjoyable. If you like Reggae music then you’ll love this with a modern twist. So check out Shan-i-muzik today! (https://www.reverbnation.com/shanimuzik)

Sahri is definitely an artist to watch. She proves that R&B is not to be tamed. “Stick Up” is a great song from the start. You know when you hear that one hit on the radio for the first time and you immediately am - who is this? That’s what you’d say if you heard this one. It’s possibly the sweetest sounding song about wanting sex…ever. As I sit here and type, I’m like…can that song be beat? We’ll see. You get a slowed down jam with “In LVE” and you get to hear more of what she can do with that R&B flare. If you are into music that offers up a “I’m going out tonight” anthem, please hit up “Dance All Night.” We get a little sass with “How To Love,” and then a some more classic R&B with a bit of pop in it with “Make It Better.” If you are a fan of artists like Destiny’s Child and Brandy, check out Sahri. (https://soundcloud.com/sahriuniq)

Marcus Lenarde is an Christian/Gospel singer that has the basics down. With the clip of “Follow Me” it’s like an American Idol auditon. It’s very raw, short and showcases what he can do vocally in a quick piece. So what can he do? He can pull out the stops pretty good. I’m not really sure what to call this next one so I’ll just put what the video has, “Movie on 7 24 14 at 1 15 PM #2 #2.” This one is actually really sweet sounding. He’s broken out the keyboard and that definitely added a special touch. The best of the whole lot has to be “A Lonely Prayer.” It’s very well done and showcases every aspect of what Marcus can do both musically and vocally on a professional level. But your heartstrings will get pulled with his cover of Boyz II Men’s “Mama” because that’s just one of the sweetest songs ever created - that’s the true facts. So if you’re in the market for an up and coming singer, check out Marcus Lenarde’s YouTube now. (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqYD1vu1_s30Kx4zlBXhKDg)

Brob comes straight to you from Durham, North Carolina and he’s about ready to break. “Wicked Games” is an odd sounding song. It has a bit of a distant, futuristic sound to it. It’s hard to really grab the words, but the beat is good. The unexpected was the singing in “New Love.” It wasn’t as strong as it could’ve been - but again the music was pulling the song up. Well the singing was unexpected up until I heard it again in “Da Sun.” This one was a bit more upbeat though. One would think that a song titled “Whippin’ It Down” would be a bit more hype, but it was a tad shy as far as the execution. With Brob you get a lot of surprises and some eccentricities - but what’s good about him is that he takes chances in his take on R&B. (https://www.reverbnation.com/b2darob)

Foco is a Peruvian artist that lets the heritage shine bright in the music. “Dale Vuelta” is a very upbeat rock song that really plays into the Latin flare. You can hear that influence in it throughout. When Foco made an appearance on Efekto TV that song was performed just as great. I actually didn’t recognize “Hello” as being a cover but it’s a great cover on what I believe is a pan flute (thanks to Modern Family). The video itself is as great as Foco’s rendition - the Vegas backdrop is stunning when you don’t have to endure the heat to experience it. The beat is picked back up with “El Arbolito.” A different kind of flute takes center stage and then here’s that pan flute back in action. The vocals sound like a creamy center to a chocolate treat. If you’re a fan of Peruvian rock and/or just like to take a chance on well done music from around the world - check out Foco now. (https://www.focomusic.com/)