Tag: Orbis Max

Tax day singles: Lindsay Murray, Orbis Max, Fallon Cush, Tony Marisco,The Krayolas, Tommy Keene, The Blusterfields

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“Fields” features Lindsay Murray (Gretchen’s Wheel) and Orbis Max with drums by Daniele Silvestri. Neil Christie (Emperor Penguin) produced the video. The song compares the end of a relationship with the shifting of a landscape and how even the most permanent landmarks crumble to time and “progress.” Fallon Cush returns with a lively blues-rocker “Sweet Johanna” and Tony Marisco has a sweet EP of jangling songs, fans of The Byrds will certainly enjoy this, check out “Sleepwalker.” The Krayolas honor Dwight Twilley with a classic cover of “I Hear You Knockin’.” The late great Tommy Keene is always worth revisiting, a new digital EP was recently released so don’t hesitate to check it out. A new band to me is The Blusterfields, “Everyone is Dead” fits well with this group, with some jangle and harmonies. Finally, a freebie — RumBar Records After School Special is a 5-song EP with pop-punk artists like Pavid Vermin, J. Prozac, The Cretins, WiMP!, and The Glimmer Stars. Enjoy!





More March singles and EPs: Oh Bummer, Extra Arms, Friends of Cesar Romero, Orbis Max, Paul Crane and the Overend Watts, The Electromagnets, Vanilla

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Here we go again. We start with a video from Oh Bummer!, a band from the mind of Seattle-born, LA-based singer/songwriter Tanner Houghton. Tanner makes honest anti-pop music for people who don’t always fit in. He does this by combining his bedroom-pop delivery with trip-hop-inspired beats. It’s not power pop, but it still has a hook that kept me listening. Most impressive is the new single by Extra Arms, “I Don’t Wanna Surrender.” Ryan Allen and crew pick up after his top ten performance of last year and continue to dazzle us. Great energy from Friends of Cesar Romero, these guys get better every year and this freebie is a good example. Orbis Max and Dw Dunphy seem to channel Roger Waters a little here, and Paul Crane and the Overend Watts debut EP has plenty of crunchy guitars, from the pop-punk “Halfway Home” to the bouncy “Dypsomaniak.” When you gather like-minded artists, you could come up with The Electromagnets, a “supergroup” with Steve Stoeckel (The Spongtones), Peter Watts (Spygenius), Chris Church, and Dolph Chaney. Finally, I thought Vanilla’s Pish Posh project was confined to 2023, but it continues to grow, and some real gems appear, like the Lennonesque “Coil Memory.”







Lucky Late March EPs and Singles: Emilia Suárez, The Krayolas, The Downhauls, Orbis Max, The Dollyrots, Brad Marino, J. Matthews

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Sometimes a modern ballad just gets the romantic in me. Emilia Suárez‘s new single “Timing” hits that soft spot in your heart. She is both singing and acting in the new movie A Good Person, alongside Florence Pugh and Morgan Freeman. Next, the Tex-Mex Beatles (aka The Krayolas) have a freshly remastered release including a cover of The Monkees‘ “Pleasant Valley Sunday.” And speaking of covers The Downhauls do a neat cover of “Hazy Shade of Winter” written by Paul Simon, but it always sounded better with a female vocal (The Bangles). The emotional “R U OK” is an easy-going collaboration by Orbis Max and Lisa Mychols featuring Ed Ryan. Adding some great power pop energy is The Dollyrots “Hey Girl” which is a great “curious” theme. Brad Marino (The Connection) has opened the vaults at Rum Bar Records and let loose a Slab O’ Wax. That’s 19 tracks of his best rock and roll for you. We end with another newcomer, J. Matthews with a thoughtful “Wanderlust” single. And… exhale.







November EPs: The Vice Rags, The Morning Line, Christopher Peifer, Orbis Max, and Peter Hall

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As we prepare to stuff our faces for the holidays, let us not forget our ears. These EPs are all perfect for that lull before dinner is prepared. The Vice Rags are back, with Paul Rosevear (Readymade Breakup) mixing bluesy rock and roll with attitude. Check out “Midnight Ride” and “Voodoo Hoodoo,” and ask why RumBar Records hasn’t signed them! San Francisco band The Morning Line also returns with a collection of crafted rock, check out the excellent “Lookin’ Right At You.” Criminally underrated Christopher Peifer has a solid sound and tells musical tales akin to Paul Westerberg and Alex Chilton. Check out “Wide Receiver,” Twisted” and “Left The Map.” Orbis Max has collected quite a few singles over the past few months, it’s compiled on This Just In. This post ends with an odd, but a beautiful single by Peter Hall. “In Plain Sight” speaks to me personally this season. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.






November EPs and Singles: Shake Some Action!, The Thin Cherries, repeat repeat, Orbis Max, Adam Marsland, John Myrtle, Eggs On Mars, Clockwise

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We start our November selection with the welcome return of Shake Some Action‘s “Break It Down,” it’s a slow-burning hook that sticks in your head quickly. The Thin Cherries are a Chicago band with a little more alt. rock feel, and the jangle band *repeat repeat gives a freebie that’s pretty cool with a nice beat. However, the best freebie of this month is the work of Orbis Max; as he collaborates with some of my favorite artists like Danny Wilkerson, Lannie Flowers, Ed Ryan, Lisa Mychols, and more. Adam Marsland has remixed and remastered his final album, The Owl and The Full Moon, and Beach Boys fans will want to soak that in. UK singer-songwriter John Myrtle has that retro-pop vibe with a great ballad “Get Her Off My Mind,” check out the entire LP for more. Kansas City’s Eggs on Mars serves up a smooth EP that boasts Midwestern charm and hooks, and Toronto’s Claude Kent (aka Clockwise) delivers an EP that reminds me of early Joe Jackson, full of sweet pop hooks.