The Noise Militia #38/76 is a new single from renowned artist “Steve Lieberman the Gangsta Rabbi.” This guy is an indie legend and one of the most prolific songwriters of all time, with a catalog of underground releases that spans several decades. This particular track is apparently over 23 hours long (which would make it the longest song ever). I didn’t have time to listen to the entire thing, but any jam which features a flute rendition of the theme song from Leave It To Beaver is a winner as far as I’m concerned. Steve is a multi-instrumentalist, so we’re treated to quite a pleasant variety of sound. Often times this track functions as an organic collage, with a thick and entrancing blend of noise and creative musicality. It’s like listening to those delightful radio waves emanating from deep in the cosmos as you turn the dial on your walkie talkie.

Lieberman has created a new sub-genre here, with what he describes as a “fusion of military music and noise punk.” That’s actually a pretty accurate characterization. The ambiance of The Noise Militia #38/76 is basically like a musical cauldron, consisting of marching music vibes, radio static, brainwaves, punk rock and morse code. It’s a creative and strangely inspirational release. If you don’t have any big plans this weekend and are up for a marathon, maybe you can listen to this epic in one sitting to achieve the full effect. This song has the potential to open a stargate.

For more info:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Lieberman

Knights is a new single from Black Note Graffiti, a well-known band that has toured extensively (from Hollywood to NYC) and worked with some heavy hitters in the music industry. This song rocks. The vibe is both energizing and confrontational. In what could be construed as a chess metaphor, phrases like “We’re taking over your knights!” are asserted confidently throughout the track. The guitars are robust and crisp, fronted by full-throated vocals. Seriously, the vocals are powerful and also solid from a technical standpoint. Tone-wise the sound falls somewhere in between screamo and the classic hard rock/metal of the late 80s and early 1990s. It’s all very clean and well-structured, indicative of polished musicians who know what they’re doing and aren’t just weekend warriors looking to make some noise. There’s excellent cohesion in these performances, enhanced by a professional mix and a pretty rad album cover.

For more info:

http://blacknotegraffiti.com/
https://www.instagram.com/blacknotegraffiti/
https://twitter.com/blacknotegraffi

First Date is a new single from Louisiana-based artist, Sk8way 10thousand. With influences ranging from Blink182 to Lil Wayne, Sk8way has a creative and unpredictable style. Blending elements of hip hop, R&B, and emo, the song is loaded to the brim with passion and fresh beats. Featuring a fun-filled and exciting Valentine’s Day party vibe, First Date is largely driven by Sk8away’s vocals. His distinctive voice maintains a relatively high pitch and when combined with the sentimental lyrical content, often fits as much within the realm of emo or pop punk as it does hip hop. The song actually rocks in an innovative, experimental kind of way. It’s quite catchy, too. Sk8way has an unassuming and unpretentious style, yet still manages to muster enough low-key charisma hold the listener’s attention. He comes across as instantly likable and the type of performer you really want to root for. There’s genuine sensitivity in his songwriting. I suspect his music will get even more interesting and refined as his budding young career progresses.

For more info:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/4xTo9cGvCFF9qcWQmtayYj

https://soundcloud.com/humble-kid-574910313/first-date

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukDtPhjxkv0

Animal is a recent release from UK based singer-songwriter/rock band, Samh. It was released in March, just before the pandemic began to engulf everything. This stunted the song’s momentum a bit, but now this indie gem is finally starting to get the attention and recognition it deserves. The simplest way to describe Animal is that it blends folk with psychedelia. The sound reminds me of the 60’s group, The Pretty Things, in the way that it builds and transitions from a sentimental, minimalist style to high energy psychedelic rock. It does this in a very artistically effective way. If you were to just hear the first couple minutes of this jam, you’d have no idea how hard the second half rocks, but when as the song progresses, it will make sense. In true psychedelic fashion, this track clocks in at nearly 7 minutes long. Impressively, Samh maintains the performance level and intensity throughout, even within what is a fairly complex songwriting structure. The vocals and ambiance have a very organic and “Earthy” quality. There’s an appreciation for nature, humility and the unknown.

There is also a second song on this release, titled Ballsack (Just Like Me and You They Don’t Know What They’re Doing) which actually defies traditional categorization. It contains experimental elements of alternative, lounge, psychedelic and maybe even a touch of soul. It almost sounds like a vintage live record. Broadly speaking, this is great stuff. This is honestly what indie is supposed to be all about.

For more info:

https://samh.bandcamp.com/album/animal
https://www.facebook.com/samh.song/

the brainchild of Darkflow Music, Gotham Poetry Podcast (300820) features over 2 fun-filled hours of high intensity techno. The ambiance is delightfully dystopian and mecho-futuristic, as Darkflow Music harnesses bleakness and transforms it into a high octane dance fuel. This track is a real pulsepounder. It’s the perfect background music for a lengthy late night drive across state lines. Gotham Poetry Podcast (300820) contains a lot of musical variety while maintaining a thematically consistent tone throughout. In a slight twist, it takes subtly bright turn toward the end with a touch of colorful musicality. I highly recommend curious readers take some time to revel in this well-constructed (and highly satisfying) atmospheric wasteland.

For more info:

https://soundcloud.com/gotham_poetry
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQcJKLT1ygB3JycvvhyZVqA
https://www.instagram.com/gotham_poetry/

https://soundcloud.com/gotham_poetry/gotham-poetry-podcast-300820

Fear is a new single from singer/songwriter, Trey Connor, and appears on his recently released album, Horizons. Originally from the Detroit/Flint MI area, Trey is now based in Austin. Fear has already racked up over 18,000 plays on Spotify. The song has a very bright and polished feel. It easily qualifies as a contemporary pop gem. Trey’s vocal and guitar performances on the track are both stellar and establish him as a serious songwriter. The tone oscillates between quietly sentimental and outright euphoric throughout the song. While guitars provide much of the musical backbone, the drums pay a robust role, and layered vocals make the track full and colorful. This is a very crowded genre, where it can be difficult to stand out. Fear is definitely a top tier production, and people will take notice of Trey Connor’s ability.

For more info:

http://treyconnor.com/
https://www.instagram.com/treyconnormusic/
https://www.facebook.com/TreyConnorMusic/

ONE FAMM MUSIC GROUP is run by Theo “Mr. Network” Hall III & Dennis “DT” Turner. The FAMM in the name stands for “One Family Always Makes Money” and the group represents all musical genres. Founded in 1999, OMFG operated until 2005, took a hiatus and then reestablished itself in 2013. A look at their youtube channel shows that OMFG is clearly on a solid path. Featuring major label quality videos from artists like Dray Love and King Hanz, this is an outfit that’s striving for greatness.

According to Mr. Metwork, the foundations of OMFG are “humility, sincerity, passion, and perseverance,” values which are much needed in the music industry. OMFG aims to promote talented artists who “have fallen through the cracks” and may not have the resources to get enough exposure on their own. OMFG has an impressive roster of up and coming artists, and over the years their performers have opened for many of music’s biggest names (from a wide variety of genres). Be on the lookout for this company and expect a few of the artists from their talent pool to have breakout success in the coming years.

For more info:

https://www.onefammmusicgroup.com/
http://www.facebook.com/onefammmusicgroup
https://www.instagram.com/onefammmusicgroup

Hauntingly Hypnotic is a new single from artist, Roxana Labatt. Roxana was working as a wall street lawyer when a medical scare led to her to reevaluate her priorities and pursue her artistic dreams. She describes her songs as being “lyrically driven,” but the musical side is equally impressive. Backed by a beautifully delicate piano melody, Hauntingly Hypnotic has an intensely personal quality.

Roxana’s voice is therapeutic and genuinely expressive. While this track is technically within the realm contemporary indie pop, it’s more closely related to the classic singer/songwriter style of 1970s artists like Karen Carpenter and Linda Ronstadt. Roxana’s style is intimate and touchingly sentimental. In addition to being sincere, her vocal tone is recognizably distinctive and quite memorable. Hauntingly Hypnotic is a thought-provoking, romantic tearjerker that will tug at your heartstrings. Roxana Labatt’s music will affect you.

For more info:

https://www.facebook.com/roxanalabatt
https://www.instagram.com/roxanalabatt/
https://twitter.com/roxanalabatt

The One That Got Away is the debut solo single from London-based (but originally from Northern Ireland) rock guitarist, Joe Hodgson. It takes a particularly strong player to be able to pull off an instrumental guitar track that can stand on its own, and with this release, Hodgson has achieved just that. Delicate, detailed melodies and warm tones create a sentimental, emotionally expressive atmosphere. The song was written in the aftermath of a difficult break-up and contains reflections of romantic longing and remorse. These sentiments are conveyed exclusively through dynamic guitar playing and a bold back beat.

Though the subject matter might lead one to think a song like this would be somber or depressing, The One That Got Away is actually brimming with passion and the guitar action is genuinely robust. There are some moments when Hodgson really gets on a roll, and the actually rocks pretty hard, cultivating a healthily tumultuous balance of emotions. It reminds me a lot of the versatility of artists like Eric Clapton. Joe Hodgson is obviously a very experienced musician, and this whole endeavor bears the mark of diligent professionalism. Operating at a high mental and technical level, this is a man who knows how to obtain great guitar tone and knows hot to use it to communicate ideas effectively. Joe Hodgson’s upcoming full length album, Apparitions, is slated for release on November 20, 2020. The 15-track instrumental album will expand on the themes explored in this single. I definitely recommend checking it out.

For more info:

http://joehodgsonmusic.com/
https://www.facebook.com/joehodgsonmusic/

Locked In a Kiss is a new single from DRE., a singer/songwriter, multi-faceted performer and producer based in Grand Rapids, MI. If you’re looking for that authentic 80s aesthetic, this is where it’s at. Even just the beat for this jam will make you want to crank up the boom box, put on your best pair of jelly shoes and dance ’til you drop. Blending elements of pop, funk, soul and R&B with a voice that could stand alone as its own instrument, the song is exhilarating. The vocals manage to hit some stratospherically high notes that left me in awe. The ambiance is energetic, charming and exciting, like a romantic afternoon of mall madness.

The release actually contains a second track, Let’s Paint the Town. This one has a funky, disco vibe as the artist gets you amped up for the nightlife. Really the beats on both of these tracks are just fantastic. People don’t appreciate the amount of skill it takes to accurately recreate this kind of time tunneling atmosphere. DRE. has captured lightning in a bottle with these gems.

For more info: