The Joshua Incident reaches higher artistic level with Ghosts In The Company Barn
The Joshua Incident’s latest album Ghosts In The Company Barn is even mellower, quieter than their previous release, Red. Yet, this Portsmouth, New Hampshire band has reached even higher artistic levels, writing and recording songs that reach the true sublime quality of genuine American folk music. Within these gentle woven musical statements and warmly crooned songs, are […]
Matt York successfully mines darker territory on Between The Bars
The online version of south shore-based Matt York’s new Between The Bars CD features nine very allluring and very mysterious tracks. The songwriter in York mines the darker territory of the human heart while pulling something more meaningful back up for the listener. His vocal delivery is always keenly aware of the song’s setting, and […]
Mark Cutler has arrived with Travel Light album
Mark Cutler’s latest album Travel Light marks another fine release from this Rhode Island roots rocker. Here, he’s as smooth as Jack Daniels at the microphone. The musicians around him create a weave of rustic, acoustic notes and snaky electric instrumentation. Together, it’s a strong package of music from an Americana singer-songwriter who just keeps getting better and better.
Girls Guns & Glory take things to a higher level on Love And Protest
Girls Guns & Glory have got their country flavored rock and roll down pat. The 12 songs on their latest Love And Protest album indicate the ease with which they can travel in two lanes, rock and country, at once. Love And Protest displays a rock and roll attitude, aggression, and structure while offering a huge variety of real purty country music idioms.
Amadee Castenell spreads his legend with Live At Club 39 album
Amadee Castenell has been a storied musician in New England for many years now. Many area players have invited the flutist-saxophonist to play on their CDs. Many have invited him to play at their jams and to sit in at their shows. Castenell’s Live At Club 39 is not a recording of a show but a recording of Castenell and friends playing live at Club 39 Recording Studio in Sudbury, Massachusetts. Some of these tracks were cut in just one take and their freshness makes them feel like they’re jumping right of the stereo speakers.
Ilana Katz Katz takes things to a higher level on Subway Stories
Ilana Katz Katz is a fast rising star in the greater-Boston/New England blues scene. Her last two album whet the regional crowd’s appetite. Her numerous live appearances, including many in the city’s Red Line subway station, have heightened her sense of presence. This third album, produced by Barry Levenson of Canned Heat fame, manages to preserve the integrity of Katz’s Appalachian folk and Delta blues influences and techniques while offering a hipper, edgier vibe this time around. She co-wrote with Levenson most of the songs while interspersing a few tasteful traditional ballads.
Linda Marks succeeds on all levels with Singer/Songwriter album
Linda Marks’ second release this year, Singer/Songwriter, shows more of her pop ballad side than her more jazz oriented Say Yes To Love, released last September. Like the previous album, Marks displays vocals that soar, rising up to a high register, waving in her breezy numbers like a flag of musical beauty. She also reaches the listener’s soft spot each time with her insightful lyrics.
Crooked Coast have fun their own way with Put The Night On
It is hard to define what Crooked Coast is all about. This Cape Cod rock band begins this new CD Put The Night On with a rapper doing his rap thing over an acoustic guitar, drum set tinkering, and the usual rap beat. After this initial intro, Put The Night On turns into a rock album, though the term rock doesn’t completely cover everything going on with this band of Cape Cod musicians.
Peter Parcek offers serious musicianship, tones on Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven
Peter Parcek’s latest CD Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven offers, among fine musicianship, many tasty nuggets of tone that create exciting sonic landscapes. Parcek immerses his listener into his own world of sound. Whether he’s playing slidy material, contrasting guitar parts, or interesting chord progressions, Parcek maintains a freshness, originality, and a high level of excitement in every meter
Erin Harpe & The Delta Swingers keep it real on Big Road
Erin Harpe And The Delta Swingers’ new CD Big Road offers a loving heap of old style blues to audiences who can appreciate both the traditional sound and the energy of modern twists. Recorded, mostly, at Verdant Studio in southern Vermont, Big Road is exactly what it sounds like, a route with two or more travel lanes.
