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| Here is a five track ep (excluding intro/outro) from Aaron Zimmer that gave us the nice album "Live Wires" three years ago. That album was a little more uptempo than this EP and Aaron shows us that he can deliver a rockier edge as well as this more clean clever powerpop/singersongwriter kinda tunes. It's a solid piece of plastic and the five tracks are all good with "Honey, Give Me A Hand" as the real favorite. A track that easily could have been found on any Jason Falkner-album. A nice E.P from a good artist. |
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We have all been to second hand stores looking desperately for the cd?s/vinyls we have on our wantlists. Back in the mid 80?s my friend Tomas and myself went the 120 km road down to Gothenburg on the western side of Sweden to do our monthly visit and buy CD?s and vinyls.
We were best friends but still also enemies? Hmmm? wonders if Tomas finds something in that shelf that I haven?t looked in and vice versa? So, in we went to Satisfaction, one of the best stores in Gothenburg and I grabbed one of the boxes with new CD?s and went through them, desperately looking for new candy, and then I went on to the next box? Tomas was on the other side of the store and checked out his part of the store? We changed places in the store and he went through my boxes that was gone through and no longer virgins.
But perhaps there is something that the other missed. I heard that awful screaming and shouting and laughing from a voice I recognized? It was Tomas. I?d missed one of the most sought after CD?s? The Zappacosta album ?A to Z? on? CD? F**k!!!
The trip back home to Skara was a quiet journey. Or at least from my point of view. Tomas whistled and was happy? Now, 20 years later I?m listening to Alfie Zappacosta?s brand new album and I wished I should have missed it in the store. I can understand a guy like Alfie of course. Either he?s doing a ?frontiers? and takes his car to the 80?s land and sell a few copies to the pond of AOR-jerks or he tries to get hold of a bigger audience with doing this sort of wimpy stuff for chicks in the mid 40?s.
So if you like the softer well performed westcoastscene that Alfie started doing back in 1995 with "Innocence Ballet" and where you these days find names like Gino Vanelli and Michael Bolton you have a safe buy in this album. For myself - I put on "A to Z" (which I found on Ebay ten years later) one more time. |
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| Another new disvovery I recently did while surfing on the net. How was life before the net? I thought my music collection was quite complete back then... but geeh I was wrong. Damn wrong. I mean how may bands and artists would I have missed If the net wasnt there these days? Hundreds... Anyway - here is as I said another guy I can thank the net for. And that is a big thank you, cause this album is sure a diamond. Imagine yourself a beatiful mix between Richard Buckner, Coldplay, Morten Harket and Duncan Sheik and we are quite near the garden of Andys music. The albums opens up with "So Am I" and sets the tone directly. A helluva good tune. And the same high level in song number two - a song called "Open Up". Listen to the last minute of that song when the crescendo comes.... fabulous... And in that way the EP continues. Close to 4 on the gradingsystem. You just read a few names he sounds like and if you like me enjoy these names - surf to www.andyzipf.com and listen yourself. And write me a mail and thank me for delivering this man to you after that. |
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| Ezryn Zyzyx (pronounced 'ez rin 'zi ziks) is a solo artist that has released his solo album Nobody Cares that's filled with 13 pop/rock songs. Ezryn is a former History teacher that decided it was time to record an album. So here it is and you can hear on this album that he is influenced by bands such as Collective Soul, Pink Floyd and some hints of Tony Carey. But he doesn't have the same quality in the songs to come up to the same level as the mentioned bands and the production is weak. The songs are not strong enough to catch my attention and they sound to much like each other. If I should pick out one I would say that Propensity is the best one with a little Mark Spiro feel over it, but not in the same league. He has an Ok raspy voice. Next please. |
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| My good friend Magnus who is more insane than I am when it comes to get new music send me a package of new stuff every once in a while. And I?m really grateful for that. Where he gets all new stuff from and how the hell he knows about all these artists is a question we never will have an answer for. But I?m grateful as I said, and so should you. Here is a pure example of one album I would NEVER hear of if it wasn?t for him. Jacob Zachary. This is a REALLY cool album and musically we?re talking a cool hybrid between styles. Take one spoon of Gus Black, one spoon of Massive Attack, one spoon of Peter Gabriel, one spoon of Blake Morgan, one spoon of Seal and one spoon of David Gray and we have Jacob Zachary. And it is a REALLY good mix of styles. And what a voice the man has! Holy moses. And what a cool atmosphere in the production! A highly recommended album that all of you have to check out at once. And another good thing with the album is that it is a ?grower?. I just heard it three times and it grown on me for each listen. Just love it. Surf to his homepage and take a close listen folks. A new hype has started! Four strong stars! |
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| Sometimes you get totally shocked by a young and rather unknown musician. Well, Stockholm based JOHANNES ZETTERBERG wasn’t totally unknown to me, since I once wrote a demo review of his AOR/Westcoast oriented band SPLIT VISION. However, I wasn’t prepared for such a splendid CD like this one. “Luna Nueva” is a fusion/jazz platter that will blow some listeners away. Zetterberg is mainly a bass player, but also plays keyboards and does some programming on this album. Don’t get scare by the word “programming”, because it’s not something you think of when listening to these songs. If I should mention one album that springs to mind here, it would be the MICHAEL LANDAU “Tales From The Bulge” CD from the 90’s. This being said, it reveals the fact that this CD is surprisingly guitar dominated when it comes to solos. Sure, also quite a lot of keyboard and saxophone melodies and solos but still I would say the guitar wins the race. And the musicians! Wow, both some prominent guys like ERIC MARIENTHAL (saxophone), JAY OLIVER (synth) and JASON REBELLO (piano) as well as utterly talented Swedes like Erik Linder (guitar) and Aron Mellergårdh (drums). All of the players are fantastic, and same goes for the excellent production by Zetterberg himself. Just a shortie of some songs. Try “Luna Nueva (Only A Dream)” which sounds a bit like the mentioned Landau but also some KOINONIA. Then “Tierra Del Fuego” takes me into YELLOWJACKETS territory, á la their “Four Corners” era. I could go on, but all I can say is: just get this awesome CD if you’re into fusion/jazz of highest class. |
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The jazz/fusion world has seen a new star being born! This is second album out by Swedish musician JOHANNES ZETTERBERG. His main instrument is the bass, while he’s also great at playing keyboards. This 26-year old guy from Stockholm once again teamed up with musicians like JASON REBELLO, BRANDON FIELDS, BOB MINTZER and STEVE WEINGART he delivers top notch music that absolutely competes with the biggest names in the genre.
It starts with a short vocal intro, actually reminding me a lot of THE REAL GROUP. When the instruments are doing the job in “Dark Horse” we’re transferred into THE RIPPINGTONS neighborhood, although maybe a little more keyboard and bass driven. I’ll be the first one to admit that some may call this “musician’s fusion”, since the complexity is on a high level. I find myself trying to figure out some of the beats or times here, which can be tricky when you realize two (or more) different instruments are playing different times! Just hear the bass solo playing shortly after 3 minutes of “Painter’s Portrait”! Phew! “Rope Walk” follows, giving you DAVID SANBORN fusion/jazz and a smile on your face.
At times, Johannes brings some latin vibes into the music as well. “Beyond Borders” is the best example, and the rhythm section is so tight in this song! Even some flute is added to the slight bossa nova feel here. Just hear the ending chords in this tune – it is almost unbelievable. And yet, the best song in my opinion is “Via Del Mare”. Imagine YELLOWJACKETS on their album “Four Corners” and you get the picture. An equal share of jazz and fusion, and this actually goes for most of the album.
Compared to the debut CD “Luna Nueva”, I’d say this is maybe a little more jazz oriented, but the difference is hardly worth mentioning. What’s new on this second CD is some vocal additions, but only as rhythm vocals. I think this doesn’t add much, to be honest. My advice would be to add two vocal songs, real vocal songs, next time. Finally I must give my homage to the Swedish musicians involved, not only the fantastic playing by Johannes Zetterberg himself. Aron Mellergårdh (drums), and guitarists Erik Linder and Andreas Ekstedt are only some of the BRILLIANT musicians. I strongly recommend this CD to anyone who likes fusion/jazz. |
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Jordan Zevon released 2008 this cool power-pop album, produced by Evan Frankfort (Melodine, Wallflowers).And yes, he is the son of the classic Warren Zevon and like his father he decided to join the musical path.
He began his journey in 2005 when he released his first self-titled Ep.A good five-track record filled with well-made power-pop not that far from Bleu, but in a little more singer / songwriter-like format.
This debut album then, which came out in 2008, is unfortunately quite unknown to many like the Ep.But it's a really cool and nice album with a bunch of great tracks.Prefers the pure power-pop tracks "The Joke's On Me" and "American Standard" but overall the material is of very good level and worth checking out if you like artists like Bleu, Jim Boggia and Mike Viola. |
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SHORTCUT
Hallelujah... I?m in love! My friend Magnus who know my taste of music better than myself recommended this guy a few weeks back. He told me that I would go down and beg to mecca when I listened to this album. And gosh... was he right! Musically we?re speaking about a cool hybrid between Crowded House, The Cars, The Police, Parthenon Huxley and Bleu. Get the point folks... what are you waiting for. And the man have done three other albums as well... Arrghh... |
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Saul Zonana is a really cool artist who unfortunately has not received any special attention. Do, however, think that he should be mentioned with the likes of Bleu, Jim Boggia and why not Enuff Z Nuff with his cool power-pop with classic rock influences. He has over the years released nine albums which all are worth checking out, actually.
This album from 2010 is no exception and offers smart, well-done and humorous pop of the highest quality. Songs like "Boogyman", "Mr. Pulsfus "and "Direction" are superb and the top of what he have done. The joke tracks "Phatso" and "Really Extensive Cream" are great compliments to this album that is clearly worth checking out if you like modern power-pop!
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There are more and more metal bands today that are influenced by southern rock, it´s been a revival even though bands like The Black Crowes has been quite successful all along.
If you like today´s heavier rock artists like The Answer or Zakk Wylde´s Pride & Glory and want to go to the roots, you should definitely check out Black Oak Arkansas, Molly Hatchet and Lynyrd Skynyrd to name a few of the classic 70´s bands.
Now here´s another new great band in the same genre that sounds like their debut album "Electric revival" could´ve been released in the early 70´s.
Zach Williams and The Reformation sure pays tribute to their favorite 70´s bands but with their own original songs, this Arkansas based band features Zach Williams - Vocals/Acoustic guitar, Red Dorton - Bass, Josh Copeland - Lead guitar and Robby Rigsbee - Slide guitar and drums by Evan Wilons on the album.
This is the real thing folks! |
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Listening to Zach?s music is like enjoying a good meal
and if you?re sitting and eating all alone which is no
fun,don?t worry because Zach will be your friend singing the warm opening track "Figurine" to you and
all of a sudden you?re not so lonely anymore.
The flowers on the dinner table would be the blooming
pop on the single "Falling to pieces",one of the best
popsongs to be made in 2002.
The delicious soup is the Tal Bachman smelling "Waking
hour",a grande appetizer for what?s to come and you
will absolutely feed your hunger with the phenomenal
"Lift" which is the steak on the album.
And to put out the thirst what would suit better than
a glass of "Gravity",an acoustical wonderpiece and for
dessert an icecream with strawberry taste - the lovely
"Guess I always knew".
This album is just like one of the songtitles,A "Jewel"
which also is a song full of Jeff Lynne harmonies.
Zach is one of 10 semifinalists in Americas online?s
first break contest spotlighting some of the top
independent artists in the states,the winner gets
a deal with Atlantic and if Zach doesn?t get the
prize the winner will be something extra!
If you?re living in New York City,do yourself a favour
and see Zach Ziskin live at Acme underground on May
13th.......or sit back and relax to his great album. |
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| Zachary Richard is certainly no newcomer. He has several pieces of gold records on the wall at home in the house. But the discs were in French when he comes from the French part of Canada. This disc, released earlier this year is a beautiful CD of music close to the sound of Jackson Browne. And the result is really good. The second track is a good example of it, the song is called "Fire In The Night" and the soft and gentle "The Levee Broke" is wonderful with a large choir to back him up in the chorus. And there are more songs with the same high standard. The last track on the disc you will find "Acadian Driftwood" is a duet with Celine Dion which is produced by Melody Gardos producer Larry Klein. |
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| Zachary Richard is certainly no newcomer. He has several pieces of gold records on the wall at home in the house. I reviewed his last album back in 2009 which was in english and was really impressed by the sound and the album sounded like beautiful CD of music close to the sound of Jackson Browne. But Zachary have done plenty of albums in french and now he is back to that language on the main part of the songs again. And the sound is different. This album is more a rootsy with a closer singer songwriter edge spiced with zydeco-vibes on a few tunes. The album is therefor very shattered and when the album is good it's really beautiful and when he takes the road down to the zydeco-land it's not my cup of tea... Best are the english "Sweet Sweet" that sound like a good The Hooters tune, the title track "Le Fou" and "C'est Si Bon". |
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I just wanna mention this CD and recommend all of you guys who like listening to guys like Daniel Powter, Gavin DeGraw and you know the others to buy a copy for under a dollar at Amazon. Zack Hexum is the little brother of Nick from 311 (odd enough if we speak styles in music) and Nick released this album on his own imprint-label Trauma back in 2004. So - if you have another dollar to spend on a good CD and enjoy the guys I just mentioned surf away to Amazon and grab a copy. And just say thanks to me for the recommendation.
PS - the album is ptoduced by the great Don Gehman btw |
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Did you know that?
311 is the police code for indecent exposure in Omaha, Nebraska. The name was erroneously thought to be an allusion to the Ku Klux Klan, and band members have given various other explanations in the past.
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latest reviews
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