Link to the enitre album streaming for Sloan’s Latest “Parallel Play” — It sounds pretty good on first listen. I’ll give a review soon, but you know it’s gonna be worth the listen. From the YepRoc Records label.
There is a lot of good music currently out, and I’ll get to some major label releases as well as indie power pop over the next few weeks. Like I always say — too much music, too little time.
As a collaboration between Gary Eaton (founding member of the Continental Drifters) and Robbie Rist, this is country-pop-rock with a little honky tonk and a little blues mixed in along the way. Fans of The Band, Crazy Horse and even Bruce Springsteen will appreciate the way Kingsizemaybe mix just the right amount of garage into their country. With four different vocals in the band (including Shelli Eaton), their sweet harmonies get it right and Robbie Rist’s guitar adds a bit of hard edged fuzz to the entire album. It’s pure unapologetic mid-western rock and soul and the easy shuffle of “The Treasure of Love” and “Big Maybe” charm the listener with Rist’s guitar twang and Easton’s distinct lead vocal. “Rolling Vatican Blues” is a great road tune and will appeal to Tom Petty fans with it’s jam band quality. “Dallas” is a rich jangley ballad that Lynyrd Skynyrd used to excel at, and my favorite song here. The fast paced “Keep Your Eyes on The Road” is a toe tapping, knee slapping good time. I’m a big fan of alt. country music – but this is not really it. However, I can appreciate the albums complex balance of lyric and traditional melody. And as a power pop music critic, it’s tough to render a verdict on this one. But, if your tastes allow for country music, you’ll easily enjoy this one and even if you’re not into this genre, it’s a good place to start.
My Space | CD Baby | Not Lame
In an effort to have a few hours of fun with iMovie, I created this music video for the Brixton Riot. Using a pile of clips from the movie “The Shining” already on YouTube, I stitched it together. I really could’ve gone nuts adding tons of quick edits, but it works better with just a few scenes. I wish the video wasn’t so jerky, but overall not bad for my first attempt.
It’s no secret that commercials are to some extent the new radio. Ask artists that are featured on itunes or even zune’s commercials if they don’t help sell a few albums. Entire blogs have been written on how the advertising jingle and the TV theme song are a dying breed. But sometimes a pop artist with a knack gets some commercial work. Allen Clapp of the Orange Peels has completed a Target TV spot with a neat version of the Beatles’ “Hello Goodbye”
See the ad posted here on The Orange Peels website.
Nice. But in the end it was only Clapp’s vocals that made it in the spot. Listen to the original version of “Hello Goodbye”
Right now the hot new song (by whom, I do not know) is for Subway. The song has a really great indie pop hook. It’s totally viral and spreading all over YouTube. Not traditional ad music at all. But that’s the point I guess.
I updated the CD widget on the right with some new CDs and lowered prices on everything. All CDs are from my private collection and not demos. A few rare out of print gems are there and more titles will be added soon.
Writing the blog isn’t that easy, and I sometimes get in a rut. I’ll check out this blog for few creative writing tips. Any suggestions? Let me know.