Category Archives: Blues

Exclusive Artist Review: The Red Betty – “Mamma, Let Me Tell You” Single

Posted in Album, Alternative, Americana, Blues, Careers, Country, Music Review by

New Jersey-based Country Singer/Songwriter Starlet The Red Betty started her musical journey around 2010 as a singer and guitarist, but it wouldn’t be until 2018 that her passion for songwriting in the Country music market would start to come to fruition; setting her sails on a journey that would eventually lead up to her distinctive and notable debut album in 2023, Couch Fables, which releases next month in February.

With her album finally released, The Red Betty would quickly start to gain traction and critical acclaim within the Country music world, winning the hearts and admirations of countless fans of all ages across the region. While the Couch Fables record as an entirety completely holds up to a gold standard in its own right, it’s her anchor single “Manma, Let Me Tell You” that truly makes the debut effort shine. This distinctively catchy Country number implements several crucial angles of the Classic Country aura, but still offers up that modern sensibility to appease just about any fan of the genre, both old and young.

The Red Betty’s mid-to-high vocal range diligently parallels the twangy single-coil Fender Strat guitar progressions, dueling fiddle harmonies and effectively subtle rhythm section. The production and performance value is very apparent, and The Red Betty’s storytelling lyrical approach truly makes her versatile vocals a standout if their calibre. Her emotionally driven hooks and measures are breathy, sincere and will easily draw you in with an ambient and atmospheric presence. The song as a whole integrates an overall buildup and climax that not only entices the listener from start to finish, but also keeps you invested into every moment throughout the song’s duration. It has that unwavering staying power – to stay with you even long after it’s over.

“Mamma, Let Me Tell You” is undoubtedly one of The Red Betty’s gems on this debut album, and will easily win you over with its charm, versatility and sincere emotion. She is an artist on the rise that has a promising career ahead of her, and this single is direct proof. It is currently available on Spotify, ReverbNation, and several other digital music streaming platforms. You won’t regret adding it to your playlist whatsoever. Couch Fables officially drops next month in February.

•Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/2HbP4trg9k0UZRAMtJMebf

•Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/redbettyband

©️ Artist Reach, LLC | ASCAP | All Rights Reserved

Exclusive Artist Review: Sweet Limb – “Vibes” EP

Posted in Album, Blues, Careers, EP, Hip Hop, Indie, Jazz, Music Review, Press Release, R&B, Rap by

Emerging from the prominent Austin music scene in Texas, Sweet Limb, the official artist project of artist/songwriter Chris Robinson, has been building his craft since 2015 and is well known for his soulful flows and instrumentals. His dynamic signature sound has flavors of old school Hip Hop and R&B but still implements several facets of today’s more modern sensibility, delivering a coherent and cohesive sound that is eclectic, heartfelt and innovative.

Robinson’s breathy and sensually vibrant vocals are what makes his songs truly a standout of their calibre. He has especially taken on the DIY angle to new heights you don’t see with most independent artists, he’s truly passionate about his work and it directly parallels his work ethics as well; and it is especially apparent with his newest upcoming three-track EP Vibes. It’s easily his best work to date and the tracks really showcase Sweet Limb at his pinnacle when it comes to his production and performance value. His songs are written strictly from his personal experiences and his ability to tell a story within his songs are uncanny, unique and multifaceted.

Vibes is definitely a title that lives up to its name. Sweet Limb’s coherently ambient and soulfully subtle style is a tasty concoction that sets the bar high for every track when you listen from start to finish. His track “Kickstart” is direct evidence of this and the song really draws you in as soon as the beat immediately drops. Implementing a chord progression of jazzy guitars as the beat’s anchor instrument, this soulful song has distinctive and notable vocal melody choices as well as lyrical content. “It’s a slippery slope, but we can thicken the road” is a perfect example of the cleverness behind the man that holds the pen to these songs and truly offers a strong message every listener can resonate with.

Follow up track “Ketamine” has a smooth acoustic bass line with atmospheric synth leads that is both bluesy and spacey. The single coil Strat guitar leads add textures to the song as it plays out as well. The instrumental detail in this track is easily the best on the record. Once again, Robinson’s passionate breathy vocals will easily soothe the soul for any listener. His ability to tell a story while utilizing this vocal style is something any listener will not only appreciate, but completely admire as well. Overall, this song’s soulful cohesiveness once again perfectly parallels the production value and is executed in the most effective way.

Final track “Dip” has a dynamic Hip Hop approach but never waivers from the soulful R&B flavors that Robinson is known for. It’s the opening track on the EP and the bossa-nova guitar chords and swells are very crisp and really give this song character. This upbeat anthem has a versatile flow and an arena of clever hooks and bars. Robinson’s showcasing of both his rap and singing skills are vibrant and masterful, trading measures of each to offer up several vibes on this track to really garner the listener’s attention.

This EP delivers several distinctive flavors and colorful instrumentals that piece together a coherently original signature ambient style that is completely authentic and raw. Sweet Limb has been grinding away for about seven years now, and this EP is easily some of his most notable work to date. It’ll easily draw in new fans if this is the first time they are discovering him, which will also entice any listener to do a deep dive into his history as an artist as well as his past and future discography. Vibes drops on December 1st and will be available on all digital music platforms. We can’t recommend this record highly enough.

Connect with Sweet Limb:

•Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/SWEETLIMBCHRIS

©️ Artist Reach, LLC | ASCAP | All Rights Reserved

Artist Review: Kevin Borland – “Talking To Dead People” Album

Posted in Album, Alternative, Blues, Careers, EDM, Electronic, Indie, Music Review, Pop, Press Release, Rock by

Orlando, Florida’s Kevin Borland started making his impact in the music world with his 2016 debut album ‘Harbor City Meltdown’, a record that handsomely boasts his artistically progressive pop/alternative rock signature sound with a stylization that is original and dynamic. Tackling the realm of music with many successful releases under his belt over many years, Borland has a true knack and passion for being a composer/solo artist with several crucial influences from industry heavyweights like David Bowie, Peter Gabriel, as well as guitar pioneer Steve Vai.

Consistently putting out an array of notable releases since his debut in 2016, Borland has manifested into a thriving and rising solo artist, upping the ante with every record in terms of catchiness, coherence, creativity and originality. And this is heavily apparent with his newest album ‘Talking To Dead People’, a 15-track juggernaut that brings Borland’s colorful musical landscapes into to the forefront with cohesively catchy guitar riffs, progressive keyboard measures and melody-driven vocals fused together with well thought out lyrical themes. The track “Spoon Without a Fork” is a good example of this. With an unwavering groove from start to finish at the helm of this song, this track’s bass lines really tighten up the rhythm section in a way that drives the song in a dynamic direction alongside the story-telling narrative of Borland’s vocals. Topping the flavors off with prog/rock-style single-picking guitar riffs, this song is a standout of the album with its innovative verses and dangerously catchy chorus alongside all of the layers this song peels back as it plays out. If this is your first time hearing Kevin Borland, then this song will leave you with an insatiably unforgettable impression.

Another notable track on this record is the synth-driven “Autographed Picture of a Robot Dog”, a more jam band kind of approach with a gritty, bluesy rotund low end carrying an ominous melody that reminds you of the London nightlife. This song is anthemic, atmospheric and continues to demonstrate Borland’s inventive lyrical narratives – giving this song a distinctive edge that is sharp, witty and altogether innovative. Every part of this song is put together very diligently, especially the background vocal layers in the chorus that really give the entirety of this song’s melody an enhancement of compliments and style. It’s a brilliant listen from beginning to end and really solidifies the album’s overall tone.

One other song that really stands out on this record is closing track “No Love in the USA”, a more upbeat track with cruising tempos, diligently paralleled keys and guitars, and a big chorus that encompasses an anthemic arena of catchiness. This crafty closeout song not only wraps the record up with a shiny bow on top, but also entices you to start the record over again and do a deeper dive into Kevin Borland’s discography altogether. One thing this album has especially is multi genre approaches without crossing into absurd genre-mixing territories. It’s not some experimental craziness, it’s a diligently-composed and brilliantly themed collection of songs with crafty thought provoking lyrics that implement artistic outbursts of spoken word measures that really lend to the theming aspects of each song – coherently showcasing a signature sound that’s not only effective, but innovative in its execution as well. The attention to detail is amazing not only in terms of writing, but the performance factor as well. The production value is on point and doesn’t outdo itself in any way throughout the record’s duration. All in all, ‘Talking to Dead People’ is hands down Kevin Borland’s best release effort yet and will definitely hold a high regard upon those giving him a first listen. Those who are just discovering him will especially be impressed and will likely find enticement to go down the rabbit hole of Borland’s past releases, as well as pay close attention to the prospect of future ones as well. This album will not (and does not) disappoint in the slightest. ‘Talking to Dead People’ officially drops in June of this year and will be available across all digital music streaming platforms.

Connect:

•Official Website: https://www.kevinborlandmusic.com/

•Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KevinBorlandMusic

•YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwqBEbImP6SgSCYUhdMXpfQ

©️ Artist Reach, LLC | ASCAP | All Rights Reserved

Exclusive Artist Review: Petrella – “Songs Of Many Colors” Album

Posted in Album, Blues, Careers, Country, Indie, Music Review, Pop, Press Release, R&B, Soul by

Affectionately known as the First Lady of Country Music, California’s Petrella emerged onto the scene in 1988 with her distinctive Country/Soul signature sound and since then has garnered an unwavering fan base and musical presence. Having worked and performed alongside a multitude of prominent artists and producers over the years, Petrella has put out a solid number of releases since the inception of her career and has manifested into a style that makes her a standout of her calibre; and she makes this especially apparent with the recent release of her newest album “Songs Of Many Colors”.

Comprised of 11 anthemic tracks, Petrella delves deep into her authentic Country/Soul stylization with an amazing range of powerful vocal projections and catchy blues-driven melodies. Her charismatic old school flavors diligently parallel with today’s more modern Country sensibility, delivering a fresh sound that is authentically visceral and wholesomely innovative all while serving up those classic Country & Soul elements that put the genre on the map in a way we know and love today. Opening track “Bring It Here Baby” is an excellent example of this, showcasing Petrella’s addictive charisma and vocal presence with her signature rasp and flavorful melody choices. Another notable song on the album is the western inspired “Waltz For Love”, showcasing another crucial angle of Petrella’s vocal approach that really brings out her artistic merit and musicianship factors. This song, along with others on the album, piece together the many parts of Petrella’s songwriting talents right along with her strong performance value, giving every listener a front row seat to her many years of musical ability throughout each track’s duration.

If you are just discovering Petrella now, then “Songs Of Many Colors” will make you an instant fan. Meanwhile her current fans and fans over the years will absolutely love this record, reminding them that her innovative and catchy sound continues to evolve, manifest and draw in new listeners with every release. The album is available now on Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes and several other digital music streaming platforms.

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Exclusive Artist Review: Craig Ball – “Content In Bed” EP

Posted in Acoustic, Alternative, Blues, Careers, Country, EP, Folk, Indie, Music Review, Press Release by

Emerging from the Minneapolis music scene in Minnesota, Alt-Folk recording artist Craig Ball began hitting the ground running in the music world over 20 years ago when he began writing songs and playing local shows. Known for his distinctively catchy signature sound, Craig garnered an insatiable buzz and critical acclaim with his debut single “Kind Things” last year. This year in 2021, he has followed up that single with his debut EP ‘Content In Bed’, a 6-track record of anthemic folk tunes with the wittiness, charm and catchiness that makes Craig Ball the uniquely versatile artist that he is today.

This is an excellent debut EP that really shines a light on several crucial musicianship factors. Craig Ball displays a passionate craft on each song and really plays his heart out in a way where the listener can resonate with the messages he conveys through the power of his music. Opening title track “Content In Bed” and follow up track “I Can’t Quit” brilliantly open this record with anthemic goodness that showcases Craig’s gifted songwriting structures and story-telling lyrics. Both songs have smooth acoustic guitar progressions that parallel beautifully with Craig’s mid-range vocal melodies, delivering a uniquely crisp Alt-Folk flavor in his very own multifaceted style. He has a signature sound that is completely in his own realm, but also diligently balances originality and familiarity in a way that is fresh yet still identifiable. He performs with that classic Folk aura but still manages to implement a modern sensibility that can captivate a younger crowd as well.

Another highlight on this EP is the song “Good On You”. A more upbeat anthem that has a Bad Moon Rising vibe with additional flavors and textures reminiscent of other industry heavyweights like Ireland’s Flogging Molly. This upbeat number is one of the most catchy of the EP and will easily become a favorite from this record. “Everything looks good on you” will definitely stick in your head! One more crucial highlight on this EP is the atmospheric and ambient “All The Way To Mars”. A more innovative track on the record with beautiful piano flutters and a spacey keyboard lead that really sets a modern tone on this song. It’s another additional angle to Craig’s signature sound that showcases his talent in an effective way, just like the other songs on this record. Overall, ‘Content In Bed’ is an EP of classic folk songs that will inspire the ear, soothe the soul and entice you to dive deeper into Craig Ball’s career and subsequent releases. His brilliantly crafted sound has staying power that will satisfy any fan of the folk genre and will easily become one of your favorites in 2021. The EP is available now on Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes and several other digital music streaming platforms. You’ll be more than glad you gave this record a spin.

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