The ability to attend live music shows out in public with your friends once again has been a long time coming. After a soul-crushing shutdown / lockdown of 2020 that continued into early 2021, we are finally getting back to in-person appearances. Summer in NYC and adjacent Long Island has always provided many opportunities for mostly-free events in open park theaters as well as clubs and restaurants. Along with a variety of recorded music both new and vintage covered in this months feature, comes a long-overdue return to live presentation recaps.
Among her many talents and accomplishments, Laura Schaefer is an impressive singer in the soft rock, country, adult contemporary, and pop music realm. Catching a recent run of live appearances both indoor and out in the open street festival environment showed the performer captivating audiences with her nuanced vocal interpretations. Appearing on Sunday night's during these summer months at the highly-regarded Westbury, Long Island restaurant Cassariano, the duo act of Laura and Bill (with the equally accomplished Bill Blais on keyboards and vocals) entertained patrons with a dramatic set of classic cover songs.
You can't go wrong digging into the summertime soul of The Drifters1964 classic "Under The Boardwalk."
The same can be said about exploring late 80's/early 90's mega hits like The Eagles "Love Will Keep Us Alive."
Street festivals are always a great place to check out live music on a warm summer night. A band Laura has been doing some guest vocal appearances with are the wonderful Americana Country Rockers Tri State Alehouse.
This band are equally adept at covering a wide range of classic covers songs as well as their own original music (more on that further down in this feature). Adding a female voice for solo and backup work fits in seamlessly with these guys.
In addition to her current collaborators and bands frequently offering guest vocal spots, Laura co-wrote and released a number original songs as the lead vocalist in a band called Blue Mile. The album's opening track “What I'm Cookin'” serves up an easy-going acoustic guitar and bongo percussion groove, with clever lyrics on the essential art of flirting. “Caught my eye . . . 'cause you knew I was looking,” gives way to references of “recipes” and “dishes done” tying together the song's title theme. Attraction may come via “checked makeup” and “straightened skirts,” however the cautionary chorus warns “don't you think that I'm just a fool in love” because after “spending some time with you” - well, they're “moving on.”
Deeper emotions are explored on the country-rock tinged “Rest Of Our Lives.” While the multi-tiered acoustic guitars mirror classic-era Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young – Laura's passionate phrasing and vocal tone bring to mind two legends of that same early 70's period - Emmy Lou Harris and Linda Ronstadt. “You expect me to take this lightly?” she questions - “sorry but I had to pause” is her immediate response. “Because when you showed your emotions – it took me by surprise.” “Why did you have to ask me – where do we go from here?” “Well I guess that brought up – All Of My Fears” (singing those last four words with powerful feeling), “and I got so many fears”. The chorus (and title line) is sung in tandem harmonies, with both male and female voices pulling it all together.
Gentle acoustic guitar picking introduces the predominantly Laura penned “Nobody Lives Here.” Singing out with tender sincerity, the listener is immediately drawn into her world of honest introspection. “I didn't come to break your heart, but somehow my life feels so incomplete.
I've gotta take my world apart, I'm sorry but that means I've got to leave. I think it's time, to shed the skin, keeping me wrapped up so carelessly. I look inside real hard, for what I just might have to see, is a heart so dark and cold and oh so empty.” Rather than a simple recitation of these already well-crafted lyrics, key words are extended and held for dramatic purpose, embodying the power of storytelling in a musical setting. Reaching the chorus (and song's title), male harmonies and tambourine percussion add richness to this poignant tale that resolves on the line “but the voices that I hear tell me to start again, make this heart a home - for you and me.” A second verse serves up one more truly insightful lyric, “when you're blind, to all that's true, the ghost of what you dream is all you see.”
A slinky cat shuffle melody provides the basis for Laura's frank look at manipulative relationships on “You're Not The Person.” Far from pointing an accusatory finger (only) a sense of complicit behavior is also noted. “Lovers and liars, we're both some of each – I guess that's the way it's gonna be,” sets the tone for a harmony-laden chorus. “You want me when and only, I can be your prize. Too bad for you I'm only using the same lines,” comes as a musically elevated punchline. “You're not the person I thought you would be. And maybe you're saying the same about me. But I won't be waitin' for you by the phone, I'd rather be lonely all alone,” is the ultimate conclusion.
Country-ballad acoustic guitar chords enhanced by chiming single note emphasis rolls out the heartfelt “Didn't You Know.” Against this lean accompaniment, Laura delivers her lyrical prose of loss and it's aftermath. “You walked through the crossroads of heaven - did you know, you'd leave me behind?
You said that, you'd love me forever – you said that you'd always be mine. They told me that time would do the healing, they told me that you'd still be here. But now that you're gone all I'm feeling is the heartache of a life all alone.” As the chorus emerges, subtle slide guitar bends expand the country feel, as a harmony voice joins in on each “Didn't you know,” leaving Laura to complete each line with “that I would believe you” - “that life would deceive you” - and “that I would be left here – to make it alone.” Not content to resolve it all there, a extended bridge immediately follows with full tandem harmony vocals “Time passes by, I see you again, but only inside of my heart. You hear me cry, alone in the night, I need you to say it's alright.”
A lighter mood is set with the good-timey Bo Diddly-beat influenced “Party Dress.” Perhaps more inspired by the classic rhythm of “Willie And The Hand Jive,” Laura sings about the joys this life also provides. “Gonna get up for work and put my party dress on, gonna pick out some lipstick and put a lot on. Gonna shake like a tree in a warm summer storm when I hit the dance floor and party tonight. Gonna drink from the sweetest molasses tree, gonna love you and leave and then we'll see. Gonna let myself fly so high and so free when I hit the dance floor and party tonight.” Harmony voices join in on a joyous chorus that goes “Yeah life is treatin' me so fine so I'll take a minute and spend some time,
with friends who dance and party all night – these kind of people make me feel right.” Essential rhythm acoustic guitar backing tasty lead acoustic finger pickin' and shuffling percussion completes the happy-to-be-alive party atmosphere.
Although Blue Mile's time has come and gone, there are rumors Laura may record updated versions of some of these songs at an as-of-yet-to-be-determined point down the road. In the meantime, select live show appearances continue throughout the summer days ahead.
Live events attended, indoor and out
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While we wait for potential new recorded material, the previously mentioned band Laura has been doing guest vocal spots with recently – Tri State Alehouse has a more current album out with their inspired recording “Open Here.” Core members Jonathan Crist, Jeff Schumacher and Mark Ambrosino wrote and produced these 12 original songs (and one surprising cover) with a variety of guest co-songwriters and musicians. What you get on this recording is a quality Country/Rock Band with an “Irish Edge” from the Long Island/NYC area.
Opening the album on a reverential tone, “The Price” blends patriotic American country with the aforementioned “Irish Edge” by way of guest musician Eamonn O'Rourke's strong fiddle throughout. Follow-up cut “Highway” jumps right into the harder rock and roll realm with it's quicker rhythm and multiple guest lead guitarists delivering piercing solos. The song's title serves as a metaphor establishing open road driving as a means of alleviating life's pain. “Jump Right In” takes that rockin' vibe and swings it over into a deep shuffle groove. There's a southern rock feel to this good-time tale of calling on some sweet lady catching your eye. A hybrid of Lynyrd Skynyrd, Black Crowes and a bit of The Rolling Stones, essential lyric “you and that little tight red dress, I'm about to lose my mind” says it all.
“Everything's Gonna Be Alright” combines a jubilant country groove, southern Irish fiddles and sinewy electric guitar solos, with lyrical advice to focus on the positive around you. “Whitaker” builds off steady shuffling percussion, telling a tale of one man overcoming hardship to ultimately live a full and happy life. An emotional peak is reached at the album's mid-point with the Gospel infused “Who Am I To Judge?” A Neil Diamond feel runs through much of the lead vocal recitation (who has embraced Gospel elements on some of his own hits), with this track bringing in the Kellenberg Memorial High School Gregorian Consortium for spiritual backing vocals. Special props to guest musicians Steve Skinner (credited with piano, hurdy gurdy, keyboards, electric guitar) and Gus Fafalios (lead and rhythm guitar) for some truly firey licks on it.
Check it out right here:
“Loudest Party” serves up an appreciation for NASCAR racing, complete with opening engine rumbles before kicking in with a full-on fast and furious rocker. Chunky wah-wah enhanced guitar riffage sounds like Slash on GNR's “You Could Be Mine.” Shifting gears in every possible way, “Rock A Bye” presents an emotional story of life and the guiding hand of your dad. For those fortunate enough to have had a caring paternal role model throughout their lives (and having become one themselves), it's easy to relate to and embrace these affecting lyrics. It's a family affair involved with songwriting for the uplifting “On The Other Side.” Traumatic loss can either lead you down a dark road or conversely to one of forgiveness. Seeing the good your presence can offer and the family ties that bind convey views into our living years as well as the hereafter.
It's never a bad idea to include at least one classic cover on an album, and the band does just that with their version of the Rolling Stones “Angie.” While the original track relied predominantly on acoustic guitar, piano, orchestra (and Mick's voice, of course), this version has a harder electric guitar fueled edge to it. The overall pace is quicker, with the originals softer piano now replaced by hammond organ, more forceful drumming, a rougher lead vocal and soulful backing singers. Speaking of soulful, “Freedom Rise Up” approximates a similar electric guitar-based rhythmic groove of a song like Eric Clapton's “The Core” with a spiritual chorus elevated by additional expressive voices. “I See Harry” tells the story of a man who helped out wherever he could, wrapped in a country music form. Final cut “Wendy” serves as something of an homage to the Springsteen mystique of “amusement parks, boardwalks” and taking the night on the run with a girl – well, a girl named “Wendy.”
Check out all of these songs at the band's official site – including how to acquire this album, as well as when and where their next live appearances will be.
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Continuing their relentless quest for sonic excellence, Ottawa-based Paragon Cause have now released their third album “Autopilot.” Expanding on the auditory palette they've been building since their first two albums “Lies Between Us” and “What We Started,” (both meticulously reviewed previously here on this site) a bolder evolution in composition and sound design has arrived.
The core duo of Jay Bonaparte (guitarist/songwriter) and Michelle Opthof (vocalist/keyboardist/lyricist) bring back Raveonettes legend Sune Rose Wagner as an equal songwriting partner for all of the songs. In addition to his impeccable production work, Sune adds guitars, backing vocals, percussion and keyboards, creating an instantly recognizable imprint on much of the work.
Lead off cut “Two To Play” builds out of a straightforward snare drum and high-hat pattern before a deep-bass guitar rumbles out front, defining the progression. Poetic lyrics describing motion (“looking forward, falling back – running – moving along”) and dual involvement (as the title would suggest) come wrapped in glorious rising hooks and lush keyboard enhancements. Second track “I'm Not Here” puts out an icy late 80's film-noir homage vibe, with it's long-note synth pads, distinctive heavily FX'd guitar figures and stalking beat. The mental image of Terri Nunn with Berlin or Dale Bozzio fronting Missing Persons walking mysteriously through a Blade Runner future scenario (so popular at that time) is evoked through this audio experience. The shimmering vocal lines “I can't live like this” and “I scare myself sometimes” furnish necessary hook resolution.
Reaching the third entry finds the first of six total versions for the album's initial single “Think I'm Going Crazy Over You.” With five separate remixes (and one bonus track live version) “Jupiter Mix” is up first, receiving a full video treatment along side it as well. Enlisting the aid of producer and Sneaker Pimps co-founder Liam Howe, the notable English collaborator relies heavily on celebrated 80's synthesizer Roland Jupiter 8 (inspiring this mix title) for the retro sound quality and overall mood. “Brooklyn Mix” leans more on a traditional bass guitar approximation at first, before bringing back the recognizable buzz of that polyphonic analog synth heard on so many of the 1980's biggest hits.
“Acorn Mix” (the longest version) takes yet-another approach, building up via an over 30 second drone, before a traditional rhythm second of drums and bass drive the progression forward. That trad-band feel is the direct result of PC recruiting formidable assistance in the form of veteran LA musician Eric Avery. That angular, melodic bass pattern combined with more forceful, syncopated drumming affords a foundation for dynamic synth flourishes throughout. It's not until the “613 Mix” that Mr. Wagner makes his presence felt on this song. Providing his own bass and drum treatment, more atmospheric space is allowed overall. One more SRW version shows up dubbed the “Staten Island Mix,” whereby Sune's fondness for hip-hop percussion creates a busier undertow. Those privy to the “Live” (Bonus Track) version will get the most guitar heavy version of all.
A sense of relief in the act of unplugging and focusing on internal well-being comes shining through on “Disconnected.” A driving beat, electronic hand-claps, buzzing guitars and tinkling-ice keyboard fills dispense audio delights. However, it's the chorus that yields an instantly catchy sing-along hook that would slot right along side any pop-hit Charli XCX has written. The majestic “Making Up For Lost Time” becomes the album's high-point, combining precise songwriting with opulent production. Overdriven guitar chords, slow-moving riffs, Phil-Spector-like tambourine and minimal bass drum percussion render a lush sonic field for the emotive vocals. The truly beautiful chorus proves once again that simple ideas are often the best, when expressed with this much passion.
Check that one out right here:
“Play Me” continues with that rough-edged guitar sound (near industrial) while adding some welcome pitch-bending for good measure. Alluding to the games people play with each other in relationship, the relatively brief track (at a mere 2:15) benefits from it's quirky rhythm and towering vocals (particularly at the end-out). Alternately, the albums longest track (at 5:06) “More Than We Can Handle” materializes out of softer, distant synths, mechanized percussion, low-growl bass and ethereal guitar figures. Voices float in, sharing space between the gentle reverberated guitar textures. Relying more on mood than defined structures, a Cocteau Twins feel is diffused throughout.
“Denied” embraces a gothic atmosphere using dungeon-synths, lyrical guitar figures and melodramatic vocals. A new level of backing voices emerge with a synthetic echo line following the primary one. The overall feel is dark and foreboding, with accusatory lyrics suggesting nefarious activity needing to be exposed. The album's final track “Time To Leave” is keyboard-driven with ghostly background voices, steady bass-synth pulse and melodic electric-piano figures. Against the repeated line “time always tells the truth,” a variety of expanding structural changes and diverse instrumentation enhance the overall experience.
As the alarming year of 2020 comes to a conclusion, this annual year-end “Best Of” recap features an eclectic collection of musicians who've all earned inclusion. While live shows were still “a thing” in the first two months, the world took a sudden turn shortly after that. Recorded music became more important than ever, and this site continued with a steady flow of reviews on much of it.
Original writing on each artist placed emphasis on their respective creativity and craft. What follows is a chronological timeline of those individual singers or bands as they first appeared here over this past year.
It seems like so long ago, but 2020 started off with the ability to attend in-person live shows the way we always had, before this pandemic hit. Early January presented the opportunity to catch Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter Kira Metcalf in an intimate setting at NYC's Rockwood Music Hall. Additionally her single “Cheap Kind” received a deep dive analysis.
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Long-time e-friend Bill Dwyer came down from the more northern city of Boston to play New York's venerable nightclub The Bitter End on Sunday, January 5th. Filling that venue with a full set of his original music (capably backed by his electric band), his 'Americana' storytelling approach was enhanced by the more complex instrumentation.
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SINthetik Messiah is the working "band name" for the equally mysteriously named electro/industrial bass sound designer Bug Gigabyte. Based out of the bayous of Louisiana, he is the main composer, producer and engineer for all recordings under that moniker.
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The Carvels NYC play classic-era downtown NYC original roots rock and roll. Super fun song and video “Late Night Heart” received the DCW Feature treatment.
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Birmingham, UK based glam-rockers TREMENDOUS capped off the month of January with their unplugged version of single release "Like Dreamers Do." Since then their debut album “Relentless” has been released and can be acquired by checking out links via the bands social media.
A significant live show happening at the end of January serves as the opening salvo for February's DaveCromwellWrites extravaganza. An opportunity to catch one of our (newly re-energized) living legends (recovered from health issues) should never be missed, if at all possible. As far too many of our most influential musical heroes move on to the other side with unsettling frequency these days, a finite amount of chances remain to celebrate their work with them. Newer, still-emerging artists creating work that fascinates also found their way into that month's feature as well.
Goth/Glam-rock legend Peter Murphy returned to New York City for a week-long residency of make-up shows at the East Village venue Le Poisson Rouge. Playing an entire set of David Bowie music in the form of a Tribute show, the man and his excellent band delighted the audience with one classic Bowie song after the next.
Opening the show was New Orleans Drag Performance Art singer Vinsantos. Previous work includes touring with David J, who is also a founding member of Bauhaus.
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The seemingly boundless energy of Philadelphia-based creative force Tom Lugo re-emerged once more with the debut album from a collaborative project Cielo Oceano titled “The Space Has Always Reduced Me To Silence.” Partnering with like-minded guitarist and programmer Andres Lugo, astral atmospherics are blended together via keyboard and guitar textures while pulsing bass-lines and crisp piercing percussion provide sensory motion underneath.
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Puerto Rican gazey/dreampop ensemble Un.Real released a gorgeous, floating track ”Lovely one / Islands,” serving up mysterious places of wonder and reverential beauty.
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Heavy psych-n'-gaze-rock is well represented on a blistering track from Cardiff, Wales UK's Excellent Skeleton. At nearly 10 minutes in length, “Stop Waking The Sun” serves up epic proportions unleashed with unabashed sonic cataclysm.
The month of March introduced enough global fear of pandemics and economic turmoil to rival what were once considered too far-fetched to be true doomsday scenarios. It's as if the T-Veronica virus depicted in those outlandish Resident Evil movies were now with us all. With it came “social distancing” and the increasing concern to limit contact with others. As such, this month began focusing solely on musicians working in more self-quarantine surroundings.
Originating out of the Western Australian city of Perth, psych rockers Mystery Tapes released the digital single “Cold Habit.” Described by songwriter/producer/guitarist and vocalist Zack Yusof as an attempt at modernized blues/country-style lyrics enhanced through the sonic prism of today's pedal-board FX accompaniment, the track showed insight within their creative process.
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The mid-western US locale of Canton, Ohio serves as the home base for I Fight Fail, a three piece emo/hardcore-melodic-pop unit that released the single “All I Am.” Alternating instrumental spaciousness and fury is paired with lyrics focusing on the dream world.
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The Brighton, England independent music label Shore Dive Records is always good for a steady stream of intriguing new music. Specializing in limited edition releases, they provide a treasure trove of worthy material otherwise obscured by larger entities hammering away with oftentimes less creative (but more heavily financed) promotion. One such band that found it's way onto the DaveCromwellWrites landscape was the Russian collective COSme. While the announcement of Shore Dive reissuing the band's debut album came a month or so back (release number 34), the positive impression made on first (and repeated) listen(s) required deeper analysis.
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Canadian duo Paragon Cause released a single titled “Lost Cause” and DaveCromwellWrites lent an ear for analysis and words on the inner workings of this track.
Four new bands made their way into the April 2020 DaveCromwellWrites analytical universe, safely arriving via this modern day equivalent of a digital shield.
The continuing interactive relationship with niche label Shoredive Records and its steady pipeline of releases provided this site with London, England's Velveteen. Their EP “Bluest Sunshine” showed a clear affinity for the early 90's developmental years that brought us all those incredible albums from My Bloody Valentine, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Cocteau Twins, Boo Radleys and Swervedriver.
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With the release of their full-length album “Agitprop Alterna,” Peel Dream Magazine - the collective fronted by NYC musician Joe Stevens shared the single “Is It My Body” as an additional reference point to a sound that is both unique and appealingly familiar.
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A discovery to this site at this time was the Toronto based Canadian acid-punk / post-hardcore / progressive-screamo band Pilcrow. Their most recent recording to date, “Fever Dreams” served up five tracks of hyper-charged aggression that is equal parts meticulous and chaotic.
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It had been a little over four years since Austin, Texas rockers Ringo Deathstarr put out a new full-length album, however the release of their latest self-titled effort offered up 13 new songs. Having featured the band 10 times here on this site dating back to 2011 (with live shows attended as early as 2009, and most recently this past November) the opportunity to dig into these current tracks provided it's own unique adventure.
Six must review features wound up in the ever-evolving (mutating?) DaveCromwellWrites pantheon for the month of May. This chosen path of descriptive analysis and “writing about music” remains a repeated selective process on what (and who) to write about. Once those decisions have been made (a non-scientific juggling act of purposeful choices and random chance taking), the actual joy of putting words together in a satisfying manner flows rather quickly.
Having previously explored the separate creative work of Gardy Perez and Tom Lugo on their recent projects with Cielo Oceano and Un.Real, the duo returned to team up under the name MAYU with a new collaborative track “Theia.”
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With the release of their latest full length album “What We Started,” Canadian ethereal alternative/electro-pop duo Paragon Cause delivered 10 new songs (and first single “Lost Cause” radio edit) less than a year after their “Lies Between Us” EP. Once again enlisting the Production (and now co-songwriting) skills of Raveonettes mastermind Sune Rose Wagner, a veritable treasure-trove of new ideas came to fruition.
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The sheer sonic overload and multi-genre appropriation of 100 Gecs combine a level of computer and engineering skills with DJ and gaming savvy. Like-minded genre bending disrupter Dorian Electra joined the Gecs on a remix of "gec 2 Ü" setting new standards for computer and autotuned vocal, cyber-pop.
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Making sure to check out recommendations from trusted sources more often than not opens your ears to something new and interesting. Such was the case with dream-pop duo Drab City, who combine an intriguing mix of dub, hip-hop and jazzy vibes into their aforementioned dreamy vocal sound.
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With the release of their three-years-in-the-making first full-length album “Ghost Moon Ritual,” moody pacific coast duo Lunar Twin shared their electronic dream vision with the world. Over the course of that 3-year time period, Bryce Boudreau (vocalist/songwriter) and Chris Murphy (multi-instrumentalist/producer) crafted 13 songs in all, working from their respective locales of Hawaii and Salt Lake City.
New and innovative artists in their respective genres had the Cromwell periscope focused on their work in the month of June.
The balancing act of humorous lyrics with quality music is exactly what you get on Ian Lockwood's EP “Nasty.” The five tracks cover a variety of subject matter, with emphasis on the internet life we all now live.
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Shore Dive Records comes through once again, with their momentous 50th release rolling out the debut EP “Shades And Whispers” by Polish emo-dreampop band Waterville.
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Japanese trio mouse on the keys released their four song jazz piano EP “Arche.”
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SINthetik Messiah returned with a new release “Split Damage,” serving up two tracks exploring and reinventing that 90's trip-hop sound. Savvy PR Company New Dark Ages did their part in helping to spread the word about this release.
The one thing we can all count on is the need for creative types to continue making their art. Musicians who spend a lot of time writing and recording as part of their ongoing routine continue to focus on new songs and videos as their primary outlet. The joy of deep listen analysis and the words that flow from that once again featured in the month of July here at the DaveCromwellWrites global consortium.
Julian Kerins is a musical tour-de-force and frontman for his own sophisticated indie rock power trio. He is the complete package of songwriter, virtuoso guitarist and polyphonic vocalist with a 6 octave range. Accompanied by bandmates Michael Vetter on drums, and Michael Schuler on bass, a full 10 song album “To Solemn Maia” serves as the current full-length release.
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Internationally acclaimed extreme metal band Lamb Of God released their eighth studio album and first in five years, choosing to go with no title other than the bands name. Now two decades into their explorations of brutally aggressive rock, this Richmond, Virginia conceived quintet have taken their place alongside contemporaries like Metallica, Slayer and Pantera. An official video for the track “Gears” comes along with the album, serving to add a visual element to the lyrical and musically intense storytelling.
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Back in late April the electronic-music and fashion-forward duo Turbo Goth released a new song at the height of this world pandemic. Calling the track “Quarantine Dreams,” it was referred to it as “a groovy love song” created for interpretation and reflection on applying your dreams through positive actions going forward once this crisis is finally over. That original track received remix treatment by three creative entities, all given the Cromwell review.
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Darkwave artist Cat Hall (aka DISSONANCE) released a new single and visualizer clip for her song "Precipice." Described as a lament of personal struggle, her ability to transcend emotional pain and physical scars has ultimately produced this beautiful work of art.
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Documentary filmmaker Matthew Levin shared a new episode of his “Translove Airwaves” series titled “Krautwerk Umarmt Liverpool” in a limited run preview setting. The psychedelia motivated producer presented an immersive look into two German musical pioneers who have teamed up under the moniker “Krautwerk.”
August seems to always come with a slight twinge of melancholy that we've now entered the third and final real month of summer. Along with the pursuit of one more perfect beach day, a new batch of music releases from various corners of the globe were reviewed as well.
Blues-rockers New York Junk evoke the streets of NYC on their latest record “Dreaming,” released on Tarbeach Records. Recorded at Golden HIVE Studio in Prague, Czech Republic at the end of 2019, it was mixed and mastered in February 2020.
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Carrion is an Industrial Rock band from the northern forest lands of Norway, founded and fronted by lead member Adrian Kjøsnes (working under the moniker Hide Beliya`al) Single release "The Blood Ov Saints" was the first new material since last years full-length album “Iconoclasm.”
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After 10 years with the influential NYC noise-rockers A Place To Bury Strangers, bassist Dion Lunadon stepped out to pursue a full-time solo career. He released a new track “When Will I Hold You Again” as a duet with vocalist Kate Clover, dedicating it everyone whose been separated from loved ones as a result of this current worldwide pandemic.
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Sydney Australia's gazey, dreampop and psych-rock collective Trillion released a 5 track EP “Move To You,” and a debut video for the single “Soft.” Recording their individual parts separately as one might suspect during these harrowing times, the end result shows a determined creativity in spite of those challenges.
Mid-September 2020 had this site rolling out a number of compelling new releases that receive detailed reviews, along with an exclusive in-depth interview. With live shows still on hold, recorded works become even more paramount in the audio artists creative life. The opportunity to conduct direct a one-on-one interviews via phone and email still provided a formidable option for the music writer to gain insight into an artists latest project.
Jody Porter released a brand new album "Waterways" and offered up insightful answers to questions about this record, as well as his entire career so far.
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New York City's The Carvels recorded a new full-length album live in one of the city's better equipped music venues. “Live At The Cutting Room” serves at the band's debut long player, released on Die Laughing Records. Originally set to be recorded in front of a live audience during a show back in March, those plans came to a halt due to lockdown closures of the city's music venues. Creatively regrouping with a revised approach, the band got the nine track album recorded two months later at this legendary (now empty) venue.
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Indie rock/dreampop band Just Like Honey released their gorgeous full-length album “Into The Wild” on the now very familiar Shoredive Records.
A select collection of diverse and eclectic musical artists were hand-picked for feature review during the month of October. While the frequent and familiar rock styles of goth, dream-pop and gazey ambience were once again represented, so too was the work of an improvisational virtuoso. The essential commonality running through all of these works is a deep emotional commitment to their respective artistic styles.
Glamorous Italian singer and musician Elle Noir released a new EP “Like A Black Doll,” which emphasized poetic lyrics, strong music composition and exquisite piano.
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Trans-continental duo Sally Haze released their six-track second EP “Wet Dream,” serving up a refreshing blend of DIY dreamgaze (and more).
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New York-based progressive jazz guitarist and composer Oz Noy released his latest album “Snapdragon.” The full recording contains six original compositions, plus a cover of the Zombies’ “She’s Not There,” two Thelonious Monk pieces and the exhilarating track “Looni Tooni.”
A combination of innovative original instrumental music focusing on keyboards and guitar served as the primary entry point for the November Feature. A greater appreciation for musicians composing and recording more sophisticated works of art shared space with a quality pop song.
Keyboardist Brian Charette released his full-length album “Like The Sun” earlier this month. Featuring 13 mostly new original compositions, it was recorded during the first months of this years lock down. The instrumental tracks forge a new hybrid sound that combine electronic beats with the richness of traditional organ textures.
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Musician Afonso Dorido is a Portuguese artist who creates instrumental music under the name Homem em Catarse (which translates to “Man In Catharsis”). Earlier this year he released a 10 track album titled “sem palavras / cem palavras” (in English - “without words / hundred words”) that delves into a heady mix of dreamgaze, ambient, slowcore, classical and emotional musical styles.
Punky pop rockers GIFTSHOP released a brand new song and video homage to pink and pastel 80's era MTV video lore with their track “Stylish Junkie.” Recorded and shot with safety protocols in place, the slick and professional sounding track fits seamlessly along with it's accompanying video.
Dave Cromwell has been writing about music since the dawn of the internet age. In addition to the steady flow of features here on this site, he has been a regular contributor to The Deli Magazine (both Print and Web) since 2010. With numerous Print Issue cover features and weekly contributions on the Deli website, scores of artists have received the Cromwell point of view. Along with ongoing contributions to this site and The Deli Magazine, Dave has written for Dingus, My Social List, The Waster, Spin and Rolling Stone magazines.
