Songs From The Land is a new album from Luis Mojica. This is another one of those releases that falls somewhere between folk rock, country, and Americana. Dynamic vocals drive much of the action, as Luis really has a unique vocal style. He squeezes an impressive amount of melodic juice out of every word, giving a performance that goes above and beyond what anyone would expect. His lyrical delivery is poetic and skillful. When he really gets on a roll, you wonder how he swims through it so continuously without ever needing to stop and come up for air.

The backing music has a deliberate beat and maintains a certain intensity, even it its unassuming, melodic form. There’s real energy and suspense here, particularly on tracks like Colonized. The music itself is quite good, but Songs From The Land also has personality.

For more info:

Gabriel is a new album from Sydney, Australia-based singer/songwriter, Jack Nolan. Featuring a stylish sound that combines excellent audio clarity with folkish sincerity and top notch musicianship, this release is truly a cut above. The title track also happens to be my favorite jam on the album, with its catchy chorus (” Gabriellll can you telllll“) and harmonic vocal duet. It’s one of those songs where you recognize it’s an instant classic the moment you hear it.

Thematically, the album deals with reflections on life and contains a great deal of contemplative soul-searching. There are romantic undertones as well, and the Americana ambiance can be delightfully haunting. Faster Than the Speed of Change is another memorable track. Despite the “minimalist mix, the sound is surprisingly robust and full, owing to the quietly charismatic vocal performances and “bellowingly” quaint guitar riffs. Ultimately, Gabriel embodies the best aspects of what one might call the 21st century Nashville oriented sound.

For more info:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpF4tlho1GkoCx1sFXiSXvg

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/

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

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/

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

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/

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

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

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/