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| Mark Edwards, aka (Ome) has released 3 albums with "Tired birds" as the latest one. He has been compared to artists like Beck, Eels, Brian Wilson and Super Furry Animals by the press. I think his music speaks for itself where he will take the listener on a trip through a varied soundscape of psychedelic sounds and experimental indie pop. The opener "Mourning doves" can be described as Moby meeting Pink Floyd in the house of Brian Wilson, this is a beautiful song and also one of my favorites along with the following "Soul on fire" which is the best track. This song is a more dark and moody electronic pop song that will work just fine on the Roskilde Festival, it takes a few spins to get into the whole album but it sure grows for each time I listen to it. An artist to keep an eye on. |
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| What a start the new label Atenzia has had, first came Harlan Cage and ArcAngel/Canatta and now the new 101 South album. Roger Scott Craig has really been busy lately with the fourth Harlan Cage album and now the second 101 South and it?s just couple of weeks between both releases. Even this time the vocals are taken care by Gregory Lynn Hall and he sings with great power and feeling. The sound is very majestic, pompish and well produced. This is a album that gets better for each time you listen to it and it?s filled with great hooks plus that the keyboards are brilliant throughout the whole album. "Roll Of The Dice" sounds to me more Harlan Cage than the latest Harlan Cage album did and put in traces of Dare?s debut and Calm Before The Storm albums and you know how good this sounds. Out of the 11 tracks on "Roll Of The Dice" I must say that every single song has something to offer. The highlights is the brilliant opening track "What?s Your Game", a pompish journey through AOR Heaven. "Don?t You Stop Believin is a mixture of Dare and Harlan Cage with a pompish chorus with Lynn Hall singing better than ever. The ballad "Dark Cloud On The Horizon" has very much Dare in it with more power and attitude, awesome song. If your digging the debut albums of both Harlan Cage and 101 South then check out "Dance Through The Night", this is a awesome AOR-song with pompish keyboards and a great powerful chorus. I think that this new 101 South album is better than the latest Harlan Cage album. If you own albums with Harlan Cage and 101 South then don?t hesitate to grap a copy of this new brilliant album. I think every AOR home should own a copy of "Roll Of The Dice". |
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This L.A based rapmetal oriented band recorded their 2003 EP "Poisoning the system" with Jim Wirt (Live,Something Corporate) which isn?t the first name popping up in my head if someone says funky rapmetal,don?t know the producer of this new one but the sound is awesome.
Their new EP "Redeem" is a fine piece of super groovy numetal where they deliver some major heavy funkin? and I start to wonder if these guys haven?t been listening to Infectious Grooves,Heads up and Rage against the machine in the 90?s coz the similarities are there but 151 can also be compared to bands like Bionic Jive,Limp Bizkit and (hed) P.E.
We get 5 tracks plus a short thing called "Interlude" that could?ve been lifted off this EP coz it only contains a lotta ridiculous BS - who wants to hear someone hitting another person in the face on a cd?
The last track "Special delivery" ain?t as strong as the first 4 but it?s ok,we?re talking loud?n?heavy stuff from track 1-4 and all these are great riffrockers.
They are on the same label as modern rockers Jet Motor Crash even though these 2 bands play in different leagues soundwise.
Crank it up folks! |
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Shortcut:
This is the sophomore album of Andrew Osenga, the former frontman of The Normals. The style of the album is alternative brit pop/rock with folk-influences. Bands like The Normals, U2, Delirious and even Jars of Clay come to mind after hearing this album.
Osenga made an interesting concept-album that builds up from the intro “In gym class in High School” to the closer “Early in the evening”.
Highclass altrock with intelligent lyrics is the serving here. Listen to great songs like “After the garden”, “White dove”, “Following the blind” and “Early in the morning”.
Go check this album out and be convinced yourselves.
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Chicago based singer/songwriter Carey Ott makes music like he was a veteran in the business, some of these songs could easily have been featured on a Traveling Wilburys album.
Carey writes music like poetry and it?s not a secret he?s been influenced by artists like Robbie Robertson, Damien Rice and Tom Petty.
I also think he sounds a bit like Michael Penn and Julian Lennon at times, I just love the sound of an analog recording in these digital infected times.
The calm "Kickingstones" opens up like a flower in spring with Carey?s heartfelt melodies and the more rootsy folkrock of "It?s only love" sounds like the perfect song to heat up the temperature in a small rock club.
The nice pop song "I wouldn?t do that to you" is handmade for a long ride in your car and "Shelf life" will surely attract all fans of Tom Petty faster than a blink of an eye.
This is an acoustic based album but Carey also shows he likes to rock like my personal faves "You got love" and "Daylight".
Carey Ott - remember that name! |
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Cecil Otter is a member of the Doomtree crew that is quite successful in the states, "Rebel yellow" is Cecil´s first official solo project and if you´re not a fan of hip hop it´s rather easy to label this as average hip hop music but I think it´s not.
Cecil is showing lots of love for genres like southern rock, folkrock and R&B on "Rebel yellow" - and yes he´s a rap artist but let´s focus on the music here.
If Bob Dylan was a hip hop artist, then he might´ve sounded like Cecil Otter.
It´s nice to hear a rapper that doesn´t use the "ho" word all the time or thinks he´s a cool gangsta, Cecil is intelligent and when I hear the really good "Boxcar diaries" I want to go as far as saying he deserves the same fame as Eminem.
But there are not enough songs that moves me, the instrumental "Duel" is cool sure and there might be a few more that would make a great EP but not as a full album. |
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Nashville based singer/songwriter Chad Overman likes to mix styles on his debut album "Sunday man".
You will find elements of midwest rock, country, soul and pop which is kinda confusing because I don´t really know on which foot Chad is standing soundwise.
There are moments when I think of Chad as Ben Folds on guitar but on other songs he sounds like a mix between Simon and Garfunkel and Maroon 5.
The album is well produced and Chad has a gentle voice, when the music goes in the midwest rock direction my thoughts go to artists like Aaron Spiro and Jake Smith.
The pop punk of "Stephen" feels rather misplaced here just like the country pop of "The journey", I think Chad should go for the style in great songs like "Anticipation" and "Winter" which might be typical christian rock in the vein of Stephen Curtis Chapman but it suits him better.
This is not a boring album, just uneven. |
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Chris Ousey who spoiled us through the years with his voice in bands like Virginia Wolf and Heartland released this album in the late 2011. I saw that me missed to write about it so I just thought I should give it a line or two as it is really worth your attention. The album is filled with really good solid AOR - all spiced with Chris fantastic voice. But also with Mike Slamer (City Boy, Streets, Steelhouse Lane and more) (and Tommy Denander) terrific guitarplaying on top of it. The production is also strong with the raw edged guitars in the middle and the sound is typical "Brittish" instead of the more polished american sound. If you like AOR and havent discovered this album yet - do it right away, cause this is a really impressive album.
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Motherhood should be the best thing in the personal life of Dolores Mary Eileen O’Riordan Burton. However, I have the theory that it has not been a good thing for her musical career. Since the birth of her first child, The Cranberries’ albums lacked of the magic the previous records had. Now that the band no longer exists, Dolores’ solo debut follows that trend.
The only thing in “Are you listening?” that might evoke the early days of The Cranberries is Dolores’ distinctive voice. The album consists of twelve predictable soft rock tracks about the birth of her children (“Ordinary Day”), her husband (“Apple of my Eye”) and her late mother-in-law (“Black Widow”). The first single “Ordinary Day” is by far the best song here, and it is average at best. There is no hidden gem on the record. There is nothing here worth of appraisal.
Buy this album only if you are a hardcore fan of Dolores O’Riordan. |
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| You can read an interview with this nice gentleman on the interview section of Midwestern Skies and here is ahort review with the guy. Evans debut album is quite soft modern rock with hints of midwest rock ala Brett Walker. Its solid refrainbased material all over the CD but with a little lack of originality. I cant complain about that cause all new modern rockers have lack of originality so it would be tough just to say that about Evan. Nope - people - hes sure a nice check out and I suggest youll take a close listen to him at his homepage right away. |
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Evan Olson started his career in the late 80?s in the group Majosha and collaborated with the power pop guru Ben Folds. After that the band disbanded,he sang and played guitar in Bus Stop on two albums and could be heard on shows like ?Melrose Place?, ?Baywatch? and ?Homicide?.
In 1999 he released his first solo album on Lovecat records under his last name ?Olson?, which I unfortunately haven?t heard yet. My first acquintance with him came in 2000 when ?One Room? came out on Universal records and I immediately liked this sunny and happy sounding modern pop/rock guy. Then in 2002 his third release came out called ?Red? and once again he was back on the Lovecat label where he started his solo career. That album was pretty good, but contained 20 songs where half of them were quite uninteresting and made the overall opinion of it lower than it could have been.
Now in 2003 he?s back with another album that represents a new musical direction from him.
?Club Evos?, which it?s called has the pop/rock vibes that he always have had, but this time the songs dare one in a more dance/club way. I really appreciate that he wants to move on in his career and do something else, but I must say that this is really, really boring. Since I really liked his ?One room? album I?m so disappointed on this one that really sucks to be honest. It sure is catchy, but I have no idea who?s gonna buy it. The club folks will probably dislike the pop/rock in it and his old fans like me will sure hate the stupid euro disco vibes over it.
Sorry Evan, but this isn?t good enough and please return to your ?old? style again. |
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Holy f*****g Moses... That was my first words after I put on the latest Evan Olson album on the stereo. The opening track - the GREAT "Lucky Stars" smells a young and horny Cheap Trick tune a long way, and second out, the groovy "Only For Love" continue the melodic orgasm - and then - as track number three... the bloody monster tune... "Dont Run Away" with a
completely melodic madness refrain. Phew. All of you readers will love that tune. Im sure! For both AOR wimps, modern rock lovers and powerpop freaks. The tune is the perfect mix between the styles and well - phew, I listened to the tune three times in a row the first time I heard it. If I should compare the man to some other artists then... Well on a few tunes hes
somewhere around The Szuters/Cheap Trick camp as I wrote earlier and then my
mind starts to think of Tal Bachman and that sort of modern rockers. I must continue to mention a few other tracks as well. Fifth out, the very dynamic "Left Alone" with a heavenly refrain somewhere around Cheap Trick goes Flickerstick is an enormous one and the powerful seventh out "Strong Enough" with a groove smells a young and vital Robert Palmer a long way. The only reason I didnt have this album on my top 30 over 2003 is that I didnt have
the when I did the list. Buy the album today folks... |
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| Norway, Norway, Norway... I don?t know what?s ?wrong? with that country. Are they eating something special? Is the air more clean up there or what. I have no idea? What I know is that produce tons of good artists, and here is a new one you have to check out if you like clever modern singer songwriter rock combined with a melodic sense you seldom hear and a very nice production. There is also a clever touch of guys like Kevin Gilbert (or perhaps only him) and this sort of genius on a few unes. Third out ?Juliet? is a proof of that. What other references can I mention here so you?ll understand what it is? First of all ? it ?smell? Aware Records all through? If I need to write a few names I would say? hmmm? Morten Harket (for the Norwegian touch), Ari Hest (for the voice), Ryan Adams (for some melodies), Kevin Gilbert (for some ideas), Crosby Stills Nash (for some harmonies ? listen to ?neighbor boy? and you get the grip) and a lot of other comparisons. But the main part of influences is from JanOves brain? If you don?t like the naked and beautiful ?Down To The Vertigans?, the soft and melancholic ?Tickets? with an harmonica taking us through the melody. The pianodriven ?Francis ? Lonely Nights?. Well, there are of course a lot of other great tracks on this album and I will not be surprised if it?ll end up on my top 30 (at least) when we will sum the year called 2005. Check him up today folks. |
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| After "One Of Us" itve been quiet around this girl. Dont know the reason, but now shes back with an album filled with great mature singer songwriter - rock with a sharp edge signed Mitchel Froom and her self. There are some grat songwriters on her such as Joseph Arthur and Rick Chertoff. The album doesnt contain the big hits as her debut but is in total a more genuine album and also a groover. Good stuff - nothing more - nothing less. |
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I really liked Joan?s last album "How Sweet It Is" which was a cool cover-album with tasteful arrangements and clever choice of songs that suited her voice and character very well. Now she?s back with a "real" album where it?s more or less only new written material and I must say that I am a little dissapointed.
She?s looking at a more americana/light country album this time and the soul-touch she used to have is more or less gone this time. And perhaps it is for that reason the album doesn?t grab my heart as much as I wanted. It sounds a little tired and where Bonnie Raitt manage to get intimate, Joan is just scratching on the surface. There are a couple of tracks on this album that is worth menthioning though... Second out "Brokedown Palace" is a beautiful piece and "What Are You" is also a beautiful piece of work. But all in all - an inbetween album from a normally better artist. At least if you ask me. |
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