CD Reviews

Jenee Halstead indescribably, remarkably good on Disposable Love

Jenee Halstead indescribably, remarkably good on Disposable Love

Jenee Halstead’s latest CD release Disposable Love cannot be easily pigeonholed into any one musical category. Halstead’s lyrical vision might put her in the same class as the better singer-songwriters. Halstead, a longtime presence in the greater-Boston scene,  knows how to layer instruments together to arrive at her preferred mode of expression. Thick bass and […]

Yoko Miwa Trio give new meaning to Songs Of Joy

Yoko Miwa Trio give new meaning to Songs Of Joy

Yoko Miwa Trio just released their ninth CD, Songs Of Joy. Boston by way of Tokyo jazz pianist Yoko Miwa, again, offers her own original compositions while making her own with special arrangements songs written by the geniuses of modern music. Miwa, still possessing a flair for arranging popular music, opens her jazz heavy album […]

Semaphora offers something new and brilliant with Sister Administrator

Semaphora offers something new and brilliant with Sister Administrator

Sometimes musical genius just rears its amazing head, and it cannot be ignored. Connecticut based Semaphora recently dropped their exciting disc Sister Administrator into an unsuspecting music scene. It will go over big, especially when local music fans realize that the multi layered album is the product of one mind. Semaphora, actually the name for […]

David Jackson offers flavorful album with The Muse And The Raconteur

David Jackson offers flavorful album with The Muse And The Raconteur

David Jackson’s latest disc The Muse And The Raconteur is a mix of cool acoustic guitar, restless blues, and a sensitive singer-songwriter sensibility. Presentation is more of Jackson’s strong suit here. This Cape Cod-based artist plays some standards, traditional songs, and he has his friends collaborate with him with lyrical contributions. Opening track “Earth Train,” […]

Blues man Alan Arena strikes pure gold with Fortune Wheel

Blues man Alan Arena strikes pure gold with Fortune Wheel

Alan Arena ‘s latest blues album Fortune Wheel finds him applying his fine character voice to a variety of blues approaches in his 13 track album. With 15 exciting guest musicians helping Cape Cod-based Arena flesh out his musical vision, this disc cannot help but be a strong offering. Opening track “Back To The Crossroads” […]

Gitit Shoval breathes three dimensional life into Jewish prayers, poems, and scriptures with soaring vocal power

Gitit Shoval breathes three dimensional life into Jewish prayers, poems, and scriptures with soaring vocal power

Israel born Boston resident Gitit Shoval with Ron Druyan and Tutti Druyan absolutely inspire listeners with the magic of their CD titled Connected. Based on Jewish prayers, poems, and Hebrew scripture, this disc makes several strong musical statements over the course of its 17 tracks. Towering melodies and bright, exciting vocals offer many colors and […]

Kim Moberg offers tuneful variety on Up Around The Bend

Kim Moberg offers tuneful variety on Up Around The Bend

Kim Moberg’s sophomore album Up Around The Bend cruises through many different approaches to the songwriting craft. Offering folk drenched ditties, edgier, electric guitar driven numbers, and even a swaggering country shuffle song, Up Around The Bend gives proof to Moberg’s strongest point. She can deliver the goods in a variety of musical settings. Opening […]

Singer-songwriter Linda Marks gets even better on Songs At The Heart Of Life

Singer-songwriter Linda Marks gets even better on Songs At The Heart Of Life

Linda Marks’ latest album release, Songs At The Heart of Life, her second this year, beautifully captures where this Waltham, Massachusetts-based pianist-singer-songwriter is at in her life journey. Her singing and playing a light, sophisticated jazz; her lyrics shiny bright and gloriously hopeful. Opening track “The River” has a folk flavored ebullience. It’s all in […]

Matt Zajac's Garden Of Hedon an exceptionally strong album

Matt Zajac’s Garden Of Hedon an exceptionally strong album

Matt Zajac’s latest album Garden Of Hedon features nude figures beside waterfall in a private jungle. The striking album cover imagery reflects the strong musical personality that central-Massachusetts-based Zajac brings to his music. Singer-songwriter-guitarist-drummer for this album, he delivers all of his songs with a strong musical personality. His music isn’t so much hard rocking […]

Sugar Cones travel the fast lane well on Road Soda

Sugar Cones travel the fast lane well on Road Soda

Sugar Cones latest album Road Soda offers plenty of new wave, goth rock, and a few other genres and influences that they inject into their tension filled rock and roll. Each listen to this gem of a CD from this popular Rhode Island band will reveal something that went unnoticed the last time. There are […]