CD Reviews

Jan Luby grows by artistic leaps and bounds on Night Window

Jan Luby grows by artistic leaps and bounds on Night Window

Jan Luby has grown into an even stronger artist on her new album, Night Window. Her elegant vocals, singer-songwriter sensibilities, and unique artistic flourishes weave into a sold work of expression and of craftsmanship. Opening track “Coloring Outside The Lines” is a call to free thinking, to not follow a pattern or prejudice. Luby’s crisp, […]

Tequila Jim offers innovate, emotive prizes on New World

Tequila Jim offers innovate, emotive prizes on New World

Rhode Island’s Tequila Jim is a different kind of local artist. His folk-rock often mirrors the open spaces and distant tones found on early Pink Floyd albums. Tequila Jim’s latest CD New World offers a lot of variety within its folksy vibe, letting his verve for the usual pave his way toward aural success. Opening […]

My Silent Bravery achieve greater heights with Holding Out For Hope

My Silent Bravery achieve greater heights with Holding Out For Hope

My Silent Bravery’s latest release Holding Out For Hope shows that Matthew Wade is a nonstop factory of fantastic pop music. Wade, who records and performs under the moniker of My Silent Bravery, again has created witty lyrics, catchy rhythms, and sweet, lively melodies. Title track “Holding Out For Hope” has a jumpy beat and […]

Greg Abate with Tim Ray Trio bring cool jazz to new heights with Gratitude

Greg Abate’s latest CD Release Gratitude: StageDoorLIVE@TheZ finds the Providence, Rhode Island-based saxophone player in great company. Recording this album live with the Tim Ray Trio is a stoke of genius. Not only will area and national jazz fans adore this record, anyone who just likes to put on something fun and exciting should also […]

Hilton Park delight, impress once again with Songs From The Porch

Hilton Park delight, impress once again with Songs From The Porch

Hilton Park has done it again. The Maine folksy trio has come up with another album of catchy, accessible folk, singer-songwriter material Perhaps it is because their influences concern more than just folk artists and singer-songwriters. Perhaps their interpersonal chemistry is so strong they can have fun with any influence. This trio consisting of Bruce […]

Donna-Lee DePrille takes her listeners All Over The Map and keeps arriving in good territory

Donna-Lee DePrille takes her listeners All Over The Map and keeps arriving in good territory

Western Massachusetts-based singer Donna-Lee DePrille takes her listeners on a grand adventure throughout her album All Over The Map. As the album title indicates, this CD finds DePrille strutting her vocal magic through a land of varied genres, song structures, and soundscapes. By the time the last songs concludes, many might feel they have just […]

Ken Clark Organ Trio master their Funk Side Jazz Side to swing like rockers

Ken Clark Organ Trio master their Funk Side Jazz Side to swing like rockers

The Ken Clark Organ Trio’s new release Funk Side Jazz Side offers a tasty smattering of both dishes. Sometimes it works against an artist to have a foot planted firmly in two different genes at once. Yet, in the case of Ken Clark and his Organ Trio, working with funk and jazz idioms proves quite […]

Mark Bishop Evans's Somethin' 'Bout Tomorrow chock-full of good songs, well rounded album

Mark Bishop Evans’s Somethin’ ‘Bout Tomorrow chock-full of good songs, well rounded album

Mark Bishop Evans latest CD Something’ ‘Bout Tomorrow is chock-full of good songs. More importantly, his inclusion of driving rock to round out his tender singer-songwriter ballads results in a well rounded disc as well as one rounded out by fine songwriting, fine vocals, and fine musicianship. The assertive, barn burning title track opens this […]

Cliff Notez arrives with masterful Why The Wild Things Are

Cliff Notez arrives with masterful Why The Wild Things Are

With a sweeping light synthesizer and a steady drum punctuation, the listener is transported into the other worldly soundscape of Cliff Notez, a Boston rapper who incorporates all sorts of instrumentation and musical styles into his works. His latest album Why The Wild Things Are could make him a major league rapper on the national […]

Martha's Vineyard's Tristan Israel offers dandy singer-songwriter treat with Out Into The Midnight

Martha’s Vineyard’s Tristan Israel offers dandy singer-songwriter treat with Out Into The Midnight

Tristan Israel’s latest album Out Into The Midnight takes Israel’s singer-songwriter flare for expressive vocals and artistic lyrical flourishes and adorns them with special instrumentation. Penny whistle, violin, and quirky keyboards create a special soundscape for this Martha’s Vineyard singer-songwriter to put across his warm regard for life and all of the special folks who […]