After several decades of being in the game, St. Paul- based Rock and eclectic powerhouse Radio Drive has been making his way across the musical landscape far and wide, amassing new fans just about everywhere he goes, and not to mention, has graced our platform here in the past. And if it’s one thing we’ve learned about him, it’s that he always knows how to step up the bar each time. And he has done just that with his latest monumental effort “Cast Out Your Light”.
This anthemic and chorus-driven tune plays out like chapters in a book. Starting off with pretty piano measures and ambient guitar swells, the buildup into the vocals and strings really add subtle yet effective foreshadowing into the more gain- driven guitars and snare driven tempos and melodies; all just to bring that subtlety right back as a pre chorus that leads into the full blown chorus. It’s this formula that truly encapsulates Radio Drive’s aura and ambience when it comes to song structure, balance, as well as composure, his compositions are very big in their execution and his use of chorus really draws in your undivided attention. If this is your first time hearing him in his full glory, then this will definitely be the track for you.
This is also the type of a song that’ll keep you coming back for more; perhaps delving further into his discography both past, present and future. RD has a lot more on the horizon and it’s a promising one to say the least. You’ll absolutely love this newest anthem. You can hear “Cast Out Your Light” on Spotify, iTunes and several other streaming platforms. You’ll be glad that you did.
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.
We’ve had The Harmalators duo on our platform before, and they have yet to do disappoint. Since that time, the elite Californi-natives have put together another plethora of colorfully eclectic songs with top notch production value and songwriting technique versatility – some which have landed them in award/charting positions. Comprised of eight amazingly blissful textures and structures that melodically soar throughout the musical landscape, the two brothers in The Harmalators have truly hit it out of the park with their 8-track collective, titled ‘Two Great Minds Think Alike‘, an exercise in innovation, thoroughness, blissfulness and so much more that’ll captivate your musical aura and ambience.
Opening track “Love On Fire” really emphasizes their vocal melody approach, all while keeping that indie feel at the forefront with several facets of different instruments playing their respective roles. Each vocalist really helps enhance the other and you can tell that their togetherness and solidification really puts the melody strength into the writing structure in its entirety. It’s a brilliant intro to the album that will easily entice you to listen to the duration of the record in its entirety.
“Where Would I Be Without You” is a much more simple listen but is undeniably a much more basic structure – and that is held to the highest regard. It’s a shorter song, one that is easily to take in as a classic, and could definitely be heard as an intro to one of those 90s sitcoms (a GOOD one, by the way). Another facet of this track is to find it impossible to get it out of your head. From its title track lyrics, addictive melody structure and just overall charming presence with its well-put-together.
Overall, ‘Two Great Minds Think Alike’ insatiably showcase both brothers’ strongest points in both production and performance value in ways that entice any listener to hear what they’ve put together over the years together and solo-wise as well. They’ve put out a small catalogue of their innovative gems in the past foür😝 its time, but this 8-track collection of highly-produces bliss will definitely turn some heads; especially when an album like this is in the band’s arsenal.
“Two Great Minds Think Alike” have also garnered them some award status. Including…
If this is the first time you’ve heard the first time you’ve heard The Harmalators, then it definitely won’t be the last!
Metal/Rock recording artist Perdido Nino has graced our platform before when we reviewed his previous album ‘Sparky Magnussen’s Irresponsible Effervescence’ about eight months ago – and we were completely blown away. True to form, Perdido is back with another full length banger, ‘Fallen From The Sky’, comprised of ten hard hitting tracks that encompass his uniquely multifaceted signature distinctive sound he is known for.
If you could see yourself listening to a crossbreed of Iron Maiden, Slayer and System Of a Down, then you will lose your mind to this record. Perdido, a multi musician that plays just about every instrument on this album, comes out swinging with in-your-face tour de force alongside his gain driven guitars, pounding rhythm section and multi layered high ranged charismatic vocals with perfect doses of chaotic screams and three part harmonies. Opening track “Black Shadows” is a prime example of this sound coming to fruition with a subtle ethnic acoustic guitar intro that eventually thrusts us into the metal onslaught that is Perdido Nino. Follow up track “Rising Stars” continues to unleash the fury and delivers more of the shreds, shrieks and melodically visceral vocal melodies. The double kick drum on this track is off the chain in several measures and Perdido’s distinctive finger tap leads really add character to this track along with more of his bombastic beats and blood curdling screams. He also serves up a Joe Satriani stylistic solo on this track and really adds several layers to the guitar work as the song’s duration plays out.
Another track worth mentioning is the cruising and chugging “Children Of The Moon”, a song with a boat load of vocal harmony leads with excellent chord and tempo parallels. This one is very catchy and crafty, utilizing the same signature metal formula but kicking it into high gear with well-executed guitar chugs. You’ll be thoroughly impressed with Perdido’s vocals on this song. One last song to shine a light on is the more upbeat “The Storm”, a much faster track where you can hear every music influence that Perdido harbors make its appearance with innovative implementations. This lightning fast banger is climactic and completely explosive, carrying the chaos from beginning to end with guttural screams, harmonized finger tapping and wailing tempos consisting of that furious double kick we’ve heard throughout this record deliver the fireworks. For all you true metalheads looking to raise the bar, this track will satisfy you. It’s the climax of the record – the eye of the storm!
All metal fans, no matter which era you hail from, would be insane to sleep on this record. It’s unique, distinctive, flashy and takes no prisoners when it comes to musicianship factors. All ten tracks ooze with unmatched talent and brings many classic elements to a full fledge metal sound that also isn’t afraid to explore many innovative ideas. This might be your first time hearing Perdido Nino, but after you give this record a listen, it certainly won’t be your last either. Prepare to have your mind blown to bits. You can get your copy of ‘Fallen From The Sky’ now on Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes and all other digital music streaming platforms.
You just don’t hear bands like this anymore. Emerging from the musical landscapes of Ontario in Canada, Alt-Rockers 21 And 9 blasted onto the market two years ago with their dynamic Alt/Rock style accompanied with nostalgic 90s elements of Grunge and Indie – and began hitting the ground running pretty much immediately. And with two years of writing and recording under their belts, the quartet have officially released their highly anticipated debut EP “So…”.
Comprised of six versatile and multifaceted tracks, 21 And 9 truly make an unforgettable impression with this record and any fan of the 90s will absolutely adore it. Combining a sound that is reminiscent to 90s nostalgic heavyweights like Oasis, Gin Blossoms, Weezer and Live, 21 And 9 serves up an EP that has intelligently crafted vocal melodies, powerful harmonies, a driving rhythm section and tastefully blended duel guitar leads. Opening track “All Figured Out” brings this manifestation of their sound right to the forefront with a buildup intro that diligently merges into a climactic chorus and a slamming breakdown that cruises all the way to the end of the song. This song beautifully demonstrates how all opening tracks should present themselves – powerful, wholesome and well executed. Title track “So” continues to showcase the band’s distinctive style but shines a light on more crucial musical angles that makes 21 And 9 the versatile unit that they are. This straightforward Alt-Rock number is well put together and focuses more on the strong vocal melody factors, as well as effective vocal harmonies throughout the song’s duration. It’s the EP’s anchor single and easily stands out as one.
Another notable track on this record is the anthemic “In This Song”, a powerful song with rhythmic drum rudiments and ambient guitar work. The blends of clean and gain-driven guitars mesh perfectly and brilliantly parallel the vocals from beginning to end. This track will likely become a favorite for anyone that listens for the first time, but overall, it’s very hard to pick a favorite since all six tracks are absolute standouts. But nevertheless, “So…” is a far-above-average debut record for a band that has only been together for two years. 21 And 9 definitely will be going places, and this record will definitely entice you to keep tabs on their career and subsequent releases. “So…” is available now on Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes and several other digital music streaming platforms. You’ll be more than glad you gave it a listen. For this debut record, the band has partnered with apparel company Tenfed (www.tenfed.com) and will be donating ten meals for every record sold to those in need – so it helps a great cause too. All the more reason to grab a copy today!
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