Dizzy Box Nine – Last Call Before the Fall

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Last Call Before the Fall is a new album from band, Dizzy Box Nine and is scheduled to be officially released on 10/15/2021. The group’s music really defies traditional classification, as the songs on this recording combine organic, indie rock energy with a clean, professional sound. The guitar melodies are downright symphonic at times, with precise timing and sparkling clarity. Despite its musical eloquence, the album retains the unmistakable innocent attraction and heart of an indie champion. A peppy pace and vibrant style will leave listeners with the impulse to bust a move at all times. There are elements of new wave, punk, rockabilly, 90s alternative and who knows what else, yet they are all coherently put together. Last Call Before the Fall is a phenomenal album. I would say this is major label quality material, but major labels typically don’t release music as good as this anymore.

For more info:

http://www.dizzyboxnine.com/
https://www.instagram.com/dizzyboxnine/

Sevaskar – Selfless

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Selfless is a new album from Arizona-based artist, Sevaskar. Blending instrumental elements of darkwave and industrial, the songs have an action-oriented sound. Retro science fiction style synths maintain their intensity and will keep listeners in a heightened state of alert. My favorite jam on here is Hypocrypt with colorful melodies and computational ambiance. There’s a lot of variety in the music, and each track features multiple transitions as Sevaskar creatively transforms mechanical sounds into a a host of avant garde collages. Selfless is an interesting artistic experiment to say the least. Fortunately, Sevaskar does not neglect the musical aspect. The songs are enjoyable, and as a listener I found myself eagerly waiting each new sonic twist.

For more info:

https://sevaskar.bandcamp.com/album/selfless

Robin Tucker – The Way Out

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The Way Out is a new album from Atlanta-based artist, Robin Tucker. The album’s title comes from the popular phrase, “The only way out is through” and is here related loosely to the anguish created by the COVID pandemic. This isn’t the first release to have dealt with the mental pain and sense of personal imprisonment associated with recent current events, but Robin Tucker uniquely approaches the subject matter through avant garde metaphors and confessional storytelling. Artistically, the album combines elements of electro, “piano pop” and emo. His performance is darkly expressive, illustrated even more clearly in the visuals of the accompanying video. Robin Tucker demonstrates an impressive, precocious maturity as a musician, while maintaining the melancholic angst of youthful reflection.

For more info:

https://robintuckermusic.com/
https://www.instagram.com/robintuckermusic/

West of Corey – All Alone

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All Alone is a new single from the band, West of Corey. Slated to appear on the Minneapolis-based trio’s upcoming album, Big Ass Deal, the song combines elements of rock, lounge and soul. The lyrics are belted out passionately and powerfully. Lead vocalist Stacey Squires has a formidable voice, reminiscent of legends like Bonnie Tyler and Kim Carnes. The song starts off as though it’s going to be a mellow, piano-driven lounge tune. Then the guitars kick into high gear, and the sound absolutely rocks. The intensity of the performances and the slick guitar work, give the song a 1980s quality, even though it is not a “retro” song of any kind. Featuring some truly stellar performances without any production tricks or creative editing, this is just first class contemporary rock.

For more info:

https://westofcorey.band/home
https://www.facebook.com/WestOfCorey
https://twitter.com/WestOfCorey

Blind Uncle Harry – American Way

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American Way is a new single from singer/songwriter, Blind Uncle Harry. He describes himself as a “hillbilly hippie shreddin’ folk rock.” If this latest track is any indicator, Blind Uncle Harry is an original performer with a distinctive style. His delivery has a clever, almost deadpan quality, making American Way an avant garde and intellectual song. Offering up social commentary on advertising, exploitation and the general state of how things are done in the USA, Blind Uncle Harry pretty much tells it like it is. He does it with a smile, up against a fun, folkish guitar backdrop. The female backing vocals are a nice touch and really enhance the sound. I highly recommend the video for this jam, which features Blind Uncle Harry performing on a billboard. The visual motifs really drive home the song’s themes.

For more info:

https://blinduncleharry.com/
https://www.facebook.com/BlindUncleHarry/
https://blinduncleharry.bandcamp.com/

Chris St. John – Hey Siri

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Hey Siri is a new single from singer/songwriter, Chris St. John. In this sentimental and down to Earth track, the artist reflects on modern technology’s impact on personal relationships. Contrasting the current environment with a nostalgia for pre-internet life, Chris St. John’s presentation is both creative and heartwarming. His voice reminds me a bit of Paul Simon’s. Musically, he effectively blends African/Carribean style melodies with a folksy Americana. Meticulously performed and brilliantly written, this delightful little song hits all the marks.

For more info:

https://chrisstjohnmusic.com/
https://www.facebook.com/chrisstjohnmusic
https://twitter.com/chrisstjohnmusi

Mr. Payne – Aim 2 Pleeze

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Aim 2 Pleeze is a new single from Mississippi-born artist, Mr. Payne (full name: Mazerati Payne). Blending elements of hip hop and R&B, the song has a very avant garde feel. Mr. Payne has an expressive delivery style that reminds me a lot of spoken word poetry, though he does sing in the climatic portions of the song. Ultimately this is a romantic jam, and his soft spoken vocals are conveyed with a confidence that makes the song work well. Aim 2 Pleeze has an intimate, personal quality to it, like a love letter. It’s a heartfelt track, performed competently and with a healthy dose of sincerity.

For more info:

https://www.instagram.com/mr.payneilove/
https://soundcloud.com/marzell-ryone-payne
https://youtube.com/channel/UCnB-xG6-7VvtTP9QiGVIdQQ

Tjuan Benafactor ft Benzino – Trust Issues

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Trust Issues (ft Benzino) is a new single from hip hop artist, Tjuan Benafactor. This hard hitting track maintains its intensity from start to finish. Backed by an exquisitely melodic, piano driven beat, no-nonsense vocals from both Tjuan Benafactor and Benzino project confidence. Their distinctive voices combine to give the song a fullness, and their styles juxtapose nicely together. The flow is on point, and these guys really pack a lot of power in their delivery while somehow still managing to keep the music flavor-filled and emotionally expressive. This is a pretty formidable song on multiple levels. It doesn’t waste a single moment of its action packed 2:32 runtime.

For more info:

https://www.sonicbids.com/band/tjuanbenafactor/

Van Hechter’s Banner Year and Beyond

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We’re only 3/4 of the way through 2021, and artist Van Hechter has already had a wildly productive year. In a time where it’s becoming increasingly difficult to get music played on the radio, he’s managed to get a substantial amount of airplay for a number of recent singles from his EP, Love Elastic. Songs such as I Believe, I Am, and Love Elastic (the title track) have all earned their spots on the indie charts this year, with I Am still remaining in rotation even now.

The core of Van Hechter’s following primarily consists of 17 to 27 year-olds and is concentrated in cities like Chicago, Detroit, NYC, Philadelphia and Miami. Listeners from these vibrant metropolises seem to be drawn to his smooth, groovin’ melodies, expressive performance and humanistic themes. One of Van Hechter’s other recent jams, Back in Vogue, is an anti-Tinder/anti-Grindr song. This pro-social track takes aim at the impersonal and transactional nature of 21st century dating and appeals for a return to organic, in person interactions, with lines like Remember a time before phones, darling?? We used to cruise in person- face to face. The bulk of Van Hechter’s audience may have been too young to personally recall such experiences, but the emptiness and superficiality of contemporary dating have many people yearning for them just the same.

Clearly, great care has gone into the production, performance and writing of Van Hechter’s songs. They each have their own individual energy, while retaining the same level of quality. This explains why so many songs on the same album have independently achieved their own success. Van Hechter’s music stands out for its vitality in an industry that has become increasingly mechanical and sterile. 2021 has been a prolific year for this artist, and the party’s not even over yet.

For more info:

Back in Vogue video by Rabz Visuals;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LG_fas_2U1c