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03.15.05
With a strong U2 vibe, this band has a bright future.
Aaron Smart has these Coldplayesque vocals that soar,
and the lyrics in this moving rock-n-roll collection are
meaningful. In "Anyone," Smart sings to the
next level about time running out and being knocked down
personally. "Asinamaha" has a harder rock sound,
but nevertheless sounds beautifully professional, while
"Royal Flush" takes us to melodic Radiohead-like
acoustic roots as Smart sings, "I've been losing
my head again/Dropped dreams and I can't seem to walk
on my own." This song was brilliant, heartfelt and
complete with sentiment that moved me. Bright, bright
future for this album and band — the only bummer
about this album was that there weren't more tracks.
Favorite Tracks: Anyone, Royal Flush
Rating: 4.5 stars
03.15.05
Shining with a little bit of Bob Dylan, a dab of Ryan
Adams and a splash of Rufus Wainwright, this album emerges
as a lush collection of hearty, sometimes old-time type
of piano playing. The keys paint a colorful background
as Harcourt's intoxicating voice paints a medley of splashing
tones, including a touch of Keane, Coldplay and The Cure.
It's an eclectic mix of heartfelt, sometimes abstract
lyrics. The music though, is always a treat to listen
to because it's artistic, worldly and dark — and
just beautiful.
Favorite Tracks: Loneliness, The Music Box
Rating: 4.5 stars
03.15.05
"Surrender" is the starting track on this album,
an acoustic rock gem with lyrical sentiment that gets
the album off on the right foot. In it, he sings, "I
surrender i confess/Don't have answers I won't guess."
He sounds a little like David Gray with a folky roots-rock
twinge that makes for good music. The album seems to have
a good track every other song, which is why I skipped
to "May Be", a rich track with lush, dreamy
acoustics. "Bitch" was funny, but didn't seem
to fit the temperament of the album, and more so showed
Fritz's temper above anything. Overall, I loved his voice,
his sound and the emotional gestures in his lyrics.
Favorite Tracks: Somewhere In Her Eyes, Surrender
Rating: 4 stars
03.15.05
This band has the feeling of an 80s hair band, but something
about their smooth harmonies and lead vocals by Cheyenne
Goff that soar made me interested. It's sort of like The
Clarks meets Creed and Stone Temple Pilots or something.
"Stop the Bleeding" slows down with some serious
lyrics about opening up and losing love as Goff sings,
"I wanna cry but I don't have the taste/And I try
not to wonder who will take my place." Some of the
vocals reminded me of Rob Thomas', especially in the moving
"Under My Skin." Though their sound is harder
than I usually go for, I did think they were amazing for
their genre.
Favorite Tracks: Under My Skin, Procrastination
Rating: 3.5 stars
03.01.05
Yes, he is a singer-songwriter, and no, we can't get enough
of this stuff. "For the Night" is an acoustic
rock hit with a varied tempo and lush string arrangements.
Beleznay's vocals are soft and smooth, and the lyrics
resonate as he simply sings, "Can I make her see/The
real me/For the night ." It sort of reveals every
guy's vulnerabilities, which is typical of male singer-songwriters,
but this guy does it right. Most of the lyrics on this
album are simple in stature, but it's the simplicity that
gives them such profound meaning. "Picture Me"
featured a great introduction, with more sounds and lyrics
that flow like the cool Long Island Sound breezes this
guy must adore living in Connecticut. Overall, I love
the harmonies and melodies on this Matt Nathanson-ish
collection.
Favorite Tracks: Picture Me, For the Night
Rating: 5 stars
03.01.05
Wow. I love when great music comes out of a seemingly
nowhere place, though Canada is home to some of our favorite
artists here at Discovering Artists. This band hails from
our neighbor to the north and resonates throughout their
album and used to be called Christopher Band. Give me
more from these guys -- their sound rocked and every song
on the CD was a treat to listen to. "It's Over"
had a sound that crossed between my beloved Buddahead
and U2. "It's alright, you can lay your head down/It's
over now/I'm sorry, everything turns out wrong/I'm sorry."
"Rise Above" had simple acoustic strums that
oozed into a slow, melodic sentimental gem. The three-piece
band's album is a montage of emotions, gracefully presented
and beautifully conveyed. I will be following this band
with a close eye and a soft spot for their tunes.
Favorite Tracks: It's Over, Summertime
Rating: 5 stars
03.01.05
Now on Universal Records, Stephen Kellogg has worked with
his fabulous band (the Sixers) to recreate some of his
older songs into even better tracks. Blending soulful
acoustic rock with a twist of twang and a bit of heartfelt
singer-songwriter songs, this album shines -- and is what
I call, the perfect road trip music. "Anthem of Our
Discovery" was redone with a more crisp, rhythmic
feel, while "See You Later" retains its charm
as it did on his previous album. The most notable thing
about this disc is Kellogg's voice, a rich, luscious intoxication
that is sure to melt the heart of every gal. With special
guest appearances by Braddigan from Dispatch, Mike Daly
from Whiskeytown, Rich Price and Rob James from the Clarks,
it was a pleasurable listen.
Favorite Tracks: Such a Way, Keep Me in Your Thoughts
Rating: 4.5 stars
03.01.05
With beautiful folk acoustic stylings and Bob Dylan/Nick
Drake remnants, Chris and Thomas feature finger-picked
acoustics that speak volumes. Some lyrics are introspective
and some are more of daydreaming rambles, but the sounds
of this album are professional and make a great collection
for anyone who likes simple folk without country ties.
Favorite Tracks: Don't Hang Your Heart, Time to
Find Out
Rating: 4 stars
02.20.05
In the vein of Cara Aley and Kristin Diable, Nadine Goellner
offers a warm jazz/folk sound with some luscious acoustic
guitar strums. Her music is so relaxing...so beautiful
that it's easy to let the entire CD play on. This album
is very New York, and reminds you of all the fascinating
things about the city...blues clubs, Central Park...somehow
this CD took me there. In "Close to Me" she
sings, "Do you know you send me right to the moon?/And
I just keep pretending that I'm ready for all of this
with you?/I can feel it coming your way/the winds of change
are going to take you all over the place." Perhaps
this is the most endearing song, capturing feelings of
fresh love and the fear that goes along with it.
Favorite Tracks: Close to Me, Sing It to Me Anyway
Rating: 4.5 stars
02.20.05
Remember that dude we reviewed a while ago, Dan Haas?
Turns out, he's a musical guru involved in tons of cool
projects and bands, Bens Bones being one of them. He delivers
lead vocals on this collection of soulish Phisy sounds.
Haas has recorded with members of the Barenaked Ladies
and Guster, and his fun craftsmanship of whimsical story-telling
songs makes for a fun album in the vein of OAR. I'm pretty
sure you won't get any emotionally whiney tones on this
album, though songs like "Abracadabra" take
the band to a slower tone, a mellow lush track. As a Duncan
Sheik fan, I thought it was bliss that his album features
two tracks that are named as Sheik's songs "Half
Life" and "Wishful Thinking." Though they're
not Sheik's songs, they're great mellow tracks that tell
stories. Like the CD? Check out Dan Haas' solo works.
Favorite Tracks: Abracadabra, Another Day
Rating: 4 stars
02.20.05
It's great when an artist doesn't need much more than
an acoustic guitar to create lovely music — and
that's precisely what Lisa Alice does in this whimsical
storytelling album that meshes between the folk stylings
of Catie Curtis and the alternative love songs of Tristan
Prettyman — with a little Kristin Diable tossed
in for good tunage. Quiet and simple, each song is professional
yet delivers a coffeehouse feel. In "The Note",
she sings, "My windows are shut my doors are locked/Somehow
the draft gets in/Just like that you come and blow my
candles out/I'm in the dark again."
Favorite Tracks: Not Blue, The Note
Rating: 4 stars
02.20.05
This album had a mysterious acoustic sound to it with
some trip-hoppish studio sounds happening. In "Room
for Two" Patrick Balthrop sings, "To get to
know you/I can't be loving your outer beauty/To get to
know you/I can't be hating your underneath ugly."
I definitely like the unique sound but felt like something
was missing when he tried to speed up his vocals in the
song. The rest of the CD had a sound more alluring than
the lyrics.
Favorite Tracks: Room for Two, We Are the Saints
Rating: 3.5 stars
02.11.05
With a strong Ingram Hill tone, Averi proves that they
are a staple in the music industry — their tunes
just keep getting better. Here we have an easy listen
with some unique rhythms and lyrics that boast depth.
"For Better or Worse" lured me in immediately,
as Chad Perrone sings, "This is me now/For better
or worse/The person I was is now just someone you've heard
of." I love that the whole album isn't about unrequited
love or wallowing self-pity. These guys rock out as they
sing about the positive things in life. "When You
Gracefully Creep In" is a great "getting over
you" track with smart lyrics that confess it's not
so easy to get over someone you really dig.
Favorite Tracks: Everything With You, For Better
or Worse
Rating: 4.5 stars
02.11.05
In a style between Ani DiFranco, Jonatha Brooke and Lisa
Loeb, Julie Loyd exudes edge throughout this heavy acoustic
album. her songs range from angry girl rock with acoustic
stylings to sweet ballads such as "The Big Goodbye."
In that track, she sings, "Guess we've been left
here by the highway to the moon/And you can't get there
and I can't get there on my own/Guess we are alone here
discarding shards of broken things/It's a habit I'd cemented
before I knew your name." These songs showcase pure
songwriting, with a raw-yet-honest sense. Some songs are
more of storyteller types that I didn't relate to -- yet
when you get to her song, "The Waiting Room",
you could fall in love -- this is a feminine tale of women
waiting for love and she creatively pens the frustrations
of single women everywhere. Loyd is a master with words
in this poignant album.
Favorite Tracks: The Big Goodbye, The Waiting Room
Rating: 4 stars
02.11.05
So this sound takes us to a hard alternative rock vibe,
but for it's
genre, this stuff is really good. Derived from the Three
Doors
Down/Creed/Staind rhythms, this CD explores some dark
emotions with
occasional breaks in the guitar wattage to offer some
smooth beats. In
"Who We Are", lead singer Kevin Hedrick sings,
"You look at life iwth big
bright eyes/Innocent as when the cries supplied your first
breath/Seemingly seeing everything for the first time/Seeing
positives and
over-looking death." The words throughout this collection
are very deep,
and for one who likes a harder sound with a meaningful
touch, it's a good
listen.
Favorite Tracks: Who We Are, River Solitude
Rating: 4 stars
02.11.05
With the acoustic stylings of Ani DiFranco and a vibe
all her own, this
artist steps out with a whimsical-yet-thoughtful album.
She gets
sensitive in "Too Emotional" and sings of a
broken relationship in "These
Walls" yet her creativity shines most in "Metrosexual."
If you know one
and he can take the torment, share the song with him.
It's a hysterical
rambling of fighting over bathroom space and men having
better grooming
and beauty habits than women. This is a diverse album,
but was an
interesting listen.
Favorite Tracks: These Walls, Metrosexual
Rating: 3.5 stars
02.03.05
Think Graham Colton Band meets Dashboard Confessional
— this CD is a perfect medley of thoughtful alternative
rock tracks. From the first song "Leaving Behind"
it's easy to see this album will take Red Wanting Blue
places. Scott Terry's lead vocals mix between those in
The Calling and Crash Test Dummies, and his lyrics are
nothing short of brilliant. In "Tearing Down Stars",
he sings "I may be used/I'm not brand new/But I'm
not disposable/Like the friendships you use." This
band can produce a fabulous song that is catchy and full
of penetrating hooks — and they manage to incorporate
some valuable piano playing, going beyond the general
rush of electric guitars found in most bands of their
genre. Props for a job well done on this one.
Favorite Tracks: Tearing Down Stars, Pride is a
Lonely Blanket
Rating: 4.5 stars
02.03.05
Cool sounds here! I feel a lot of Michael Tolcher with
a tad of the Barenaked Ladies. Fun, semi-thoughtful songs
with beats that keep you moving -- aka, this is good driving
music. This band combines a little funk with some off-base
lyrics, but "Better Than I'll Ever Be" is the
reason to listen to this album. Lyrically, it glows, radiates
introspection and invites you in to wonder. In it, the
lead singer known as MWS sings, "Holding your picture
in a different light/The colors can shimmer the darkest
of darks are now the brightest of brights/And all it took
was a second look/Just another moment of your time."
It was nice to hear a band that isn't afraid to defy genres,
and manages to have a gem on their album as well.
Favorite Tracks: Better Than I'll Ever Be, These
Are the Moments
Rating: 4 stars
02.03.05
Though their sound is a little harder than I go for, I
had to write up a review on this band because they sound
like a cross of Gwen Stefani and Lita Ford. It's girl
rock with a metallic edge. Meaningful? Not really, but
a sound worth mentioning for those who like hard-edged
chicks who can sing. The CD gets better as it goes on,
and "The Best Things" captures lead singer Kira
Leyden's softer side while offering a "live in the
now" message.
Favorite Tracks: The Best Things, Believe in Me
Rating: 3.5 stars
02.03.05
No, I didn't mispell "something" wrong, the
artist did on his album but I'm thinking it was intentionally.
Something to show his individuality, which is apparant
throughout this magical merge of acoustics and dreamy
hooks. The problem I had was there wasn't much of substance.
If you like abstract acoustic rock, you may enjoy this
off-base album. It's a shame, because until he starts
singing in many of these songs, they were otherwise good.
His voice is sweet, but there wasn't much else to hang
on to.
Favorite Tracks: Golden Starfish, Runaway
Rating: 2 stars
01.23.05
With a twinge of Matchbox 20, Madison Fair makes a brilliant
debut with their first release. In "More Than You
Know", a yearning is expressed in the lyrics, "I
guess it always falls this way/Screamin out with nothing
to say/I don't know why it always seems/I'm hangin up
on your machine/I need you more than you'd believe..."
The lyrics are thoughtful and edgy, yet the alternative
rock sound keeps their tunes nonchalantly cool. This is
a group, much like Red Letter Print or Graham Colton Band,
that deserves the chance to shine and I'm hoping they
get it.
Favorite Tracks: Stay, Underneath
Rating: 5 stars
01.23.05
What a fun band! With humorous lyrics about drinking too
much and wanting to sleep with someone, this band keeps
it real in the vein of Sublime and Barenaked Ladies. In
"Made Up My Mind", they sing, "I think
its time we had a talk about me and you/You always have
to bitch about everything I do/Well I've finally had enough
and there's something you should know/Here's your chance
to say goodbye cause I gotta go/Yes its too late I've
made up my mind." The songs are hysterical, and this
is a great fun jam CD to rock out to. Complete with sax
effects ala G. Love and Special Sauce. These songs are
crafted sort of like King Missiles (you may not remember
them!) but they're definitely comparable.
Favorite Tracks: Made Up My Mind, Why Can't We
Sleep Together?
Rating: 4 stars
01.23.05
From first listen, I was lured with a sound resembling
that of Duncan Sheik's electric guitar god, Jerry Leonard.
"Cut Me Out" is a brilliant song about not caring
when you're cut out of someone's life. If "Garden
State" were a mellow film about anger, this song
would have fit perfectly on the soundtrack due to its
dreamy nature and alluring background noises. This album
has an upbeat sound with some dark messages, but it was
a professionally sounding rock-and-roll album that stood
out to me. The only bad thing is that the rest of the
tracks don't measure up to the first one. Still, there
was a great Beatlesque, indie quality that appealed to
me.
Favorite Tracks: Cut Me Out, Under the Waves
Rating: 4 stars
01.23.05
With an opening song similar to Dave Matthews Band's track,
"Two Step", this band steps out with an album
that's a cross between Beatles rock and punk. But the
"anger" track sounded a little to happy to me,
and I'm a sucker for something that wallows in emotion.
"Sarah" was a pretty sexy-sounding track about
being in love with a Thai woman. Generally, I didn't find
these songs to contain much substance. The lead singer's
voice could use some refining, and the sound may not attract
a modern audience. Put out by Kristin Diable, another
artist we rave of, I honestly expected more.
Favorite Tracks: Antimatter, Ten Years Shy
Rating: 2.5 stars
01.17.05
In the vein of girl-rockers like Maren Ord and Avril Lavigne,
Keren comes across with an emotionally charged album complete
with rock-n-roll rock-outs and soft-girl songs. "Sleep"
is a masterful slow song set with a backdrop of easy electric
and acoustic guitars. "Timings Off" is another
slower song with meaning and a catchy pop hook. The tone
of this album may be a little to girlish for me, but Keren's
voice is spectacular, and deserves to be highlighted on
this site.
Favorite Tracks: Boy on TV, Sleep
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Kristen
Fischer
DiscoveringArtists.com
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