Womack III - Songs Of Downfall & Deliverance

 

Womack III - Songs Of Downfall & Deliverance is the latest offering from local heroes of small town called Forssa, in Finland.

Lovingly calling their hometown the deep south of gloomy north, this foursome embrace their smalltown boy roots and let their love of southern rock shine through their heavy metal influences.
 

As the album title suggests, this is the third full-lenght album from Womack, who, as a band have gone through a lot considering they were formed in 2010, and are quite young as an orchestra. After their first album "Prehab" they went through a line-up change as their original drummer chose to leave and Womack was left to reinvent themselves completely.
 

They did just that, and the result was a fully acoustic rock album "Strays" which was a whole new kind of challenge for the band, as they wandered far away from their comfort zone in search of new ways to express theirselves.
 

Out of that period they got behind the wheel of their distortion-driven side, backed with their new member, Jani Blomerus who has been instrumental in the development from an acoustic rock band to a heavier, groovier harder hitting riff machine.
 

The new album has been in the making for several years now: The groundwork was laid in the later days of 2016, and the album has been slowly cooking ever since. The band has truly given the process their all, and found a new level production-wise too, as the album was mixed and mastered by the legendary Hiili Hiilesmaa, who should need no introduction to anyone who has read their homework on finnish metal.

 

The band has released two singles, Back On The Hooch off the forthcoming record, and another track, Spittin´ Teeth a couple of weeks before the whole album will finally hit the virtual shelves of the streaming world.
 

The band is proud and satisfied with their magnum opus thus far, but are also keeping their collective sights aimed to the future: They kept themselves busy during the pandemic, writing new songs and rehearsing, so they would be among the first ones out the door when the world opens up again.
 

Womack is ready now. Let´s hope the world is ready for them.

 https://aivoimuri.wixsite.com/womack

Gulf Stream Riders

 

"The Mystic Burns Within" is an intimate conversation between two different sides of the same person. The vocal shifts back and forth between one side given to despair, and the other side that sees what's good in this existence. This alternating pattern connects with the melody to evoke honest feeling in this deep and ultimately hopeful tune. A beautiful, laid-back Folk-Country song with a nice build up towards the end.

Gulf Stream Riders, aka Chris and Nalle , are former members of a hard rock band that had a record deal with Warner Music in Scandinavia and toured the clubs in LA. After a breakup that lasted many years, with Chris studying back home in NY and Nalle writing and producing for artists around the world, they reunited to pursue the long time dream of making the kind of music closest to their hearts; Country/Country-Rock.

 https://twitter.com/RidersGulf

Kintsugi

 

 

Kintsugi (golden joinery) is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery by mending the areas of breakage with lacquer dusted or mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum. Japanese aesthetics value the wear marks of the object caused by its use and the repairs are highlighted as an art rather than trying to mask them. As a philosophy, kintsugi is embracing the flaws or imperfections as part of the natural life cycle of the objects.

LILLI has been respecting the same philosophy when working on their second album. The songs are real life stories of broken lives joined from pieces to an album. The songs exude life with all its challenges and ups and downs. None of us survives life without physical or mental dents, but we have to learn to appreciate them in the sense of a person's spiritual growth.

The group’s debut album was released in 2020, so the band had time to work on the second album for almost two years. Careful maturation has not been in vain, as the end result is a tasteful, high-quality package. The album contains massive arrangements and captivating stories. The songs move musically on the borders of rock and metal music, which creates a pleasant surprise in the content of the album and carries the album brilliantly from the beginning intro to the last song. As a whole, the album's music is clearly more heavy in style than the band's debut album, but definitely in a good way.

"We are very satisfied with our new album and during the production process we had the opportunity to work with several highly talented keyboard players, such as Akseli Kaasalainen (Dreamtale), Mikko Kujanpää (Memoremains), Antti Simonen (...and Oceans) ja Marko Karttunen.  The visitors bring their own stylish fingerprint to the whole, which brought new drive and musical depth to the songs," says the band's bassist and studio chief Sami Halinen. "Some of the stories on the album are quite brutal human destinies, such as the long journey from Friday to Monday caused by loneliness, or the hard work of the nurses and doctors, especially during the last covid years", the band's singer Lily Black continues.

 https://m.facebook.com/lillitheband/

Mark Ruebery

 

Mark Ruebery is an original songwriter, singer. guitarist and recording artist.

Mark has been writing songs for over 25 years and has performed his material all over the world…..

After graduating with distinction in guitar from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, he recorded his debut album ‘Because of You’ at the legendary Rockfield Studios, Wales. 

The album was promoted by BBC Radio Wales as ‘album of the week’ and five songs were featured as ‘single of the week’. He has had multiple plays on BBC Radio 2 and his videos aired several times on Sky TV. Mark regularly performs his songs live in session on BBC radio and for many other stations.

His second album ‘One Night One Chance’ was recorded at the famous Abbey Road Studios, London. A lifelong ambition for Mark. A song from Mark’s second album ‘One Night One Chance’ was featured on an American pilot TV Series “Do I have a hit Song?” in Jacksonville, Florida. 

https://www.markruebery.com/

Fritz Kahn and The Miracles

 

After a lengthy absence from music, Fritz Kahn and The Miracles return with a stirring new song titled ‘My Baby Star’.

‘Fritz Kahn’ is the pseudonym of the multi-talented musician and composer hailing from Portugal. Born in 1976, Serras began his musical studies at the regional conservatory of Tomar, but following an unsavoury relationship with his music professor, he chose to self-teach – he learned the guitar, harmonica and refined his rhythmic ability on jambés borrowed from the Castelo de Bode Campsite in Lisbon.
The singer-songwriter notes that his pseudonym represents “a fine irony”; the German Jewish doctor Fritz Kahn stood for science (quite the opposite of ‘The Miracles’, which stands for faith). Serras endeavours to find meaning and hope in everything he writes.

The Portuguese musician credits all of the gospel music he has ever heard as motivation for ‘My Baby Star’. He cites the work of some gospel and soul heroes, touting the rousing energy he brings on this track as similar to that of “the great Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, John Coltrane and so on.
“The song means a lot to me,” he says, “because it’s probably where my voice stands out from any other composition I´ve made.”

‘My Baby Star’ was recorded in Lisbon at Namouche Estudios as part of a project orchestrated by Tiago Machado, the producer (and pianist) on the track. Serras says Machado “transformed Fritz Kahn and The Miracles' music into something truly special.” The Portuguese pair worked hard to underpin the album with sound production and creative direction, letting Serras’s stirring voice take centre stage.
Despite his obvious vocal ability, the singer remains modest about his creative process: “It’s hard work – (ninety percent), and inspiration – (ten percent). It's a common thing to say, but it's true.”

The moving gospel ballad ‘My Baby Star’ is out now on all major platforms. Follow Fritz Kahn and The Miracles’ musical journey.

 https://www.facebook.com/fritzkahn1

Chris Antonik Releases "Trust In Me" From #1 Roots Music Report Canadian Chart Album 'Morningstar'

 

Chris Antonik, whose album, Morningstar, still sits at No. 1 on the Roots Music Report, has released a blues/hip hop hybrid single, “Trust in Me,” something a little different for the chart-topping blues-rock guitarist who has always pushed the boundaries of blues.

 "I wrote this song as a commentary on how toxic, childish, and mean politicians were becoming in the media in the years leading up to the pandemic,” says the Toronto-based musician. “As a single parent, I needed to work extra hard to drown it out and outweigh it with positive behaviour examples for my kids because there was no help from the top.  How we talk to people is important and it's incredible how crazy the world was getting in this respect."

“Trust in Me” features one of the fiercest guitar solos Chris has ever recorded. “Musically, I required this sort of modern, chaotic, industrial-type vehicle to tell my story and to deliver the song's ferocious and intense guitar solo,” he explains. 

The track also includes a beautifully chaotic and mind-bending soprano sax solo by 2022 Maple Blues Award-winner Alison Young. “Sonically, her contribution matches the frustration and confusion of the lyric’s theme, but also has a desert/mystical/Duran Duran ‘Union of the Snake’ vibe,” Chris says.

“Trust In Me” is the fourth single from Morningstar, following August’s release of “Back to the Good”, July’s “Pilgrim,” and June’s “Waves of Stone” (feat. Jarekus Singleton).

All the singles have done phenomenally well on the Roots Music Report, starting with “Waves of Stones,” which landed at No. 1.  Both “Back to Good” and “Pilgrim” also reached No. 1 in Canada on the Roots Music Report’s singles chart.

This kind of reception is nothing new for Chris. Since his nomination for Best New Artist at Canada’s Maple Blues Awards in 2011 based on his debut album, Chris has been delivering innovative and thoughtfully crafted songs that transcend expectations of the genre. His sophomore album, Better for You, was hailed by critics as “the best Canadian blues-rock album of 2013” and “a masterpiece” — with American Blues Scene calling it the “sound of someone taking the blues to a new place.”  His self-produced third studio album, 2017’s Monarch, further expanded the blues’ boundaries into blues-rock, soul and Americana; it was nominated for both Songwriter of the Year and Recording of the Year at the 2018 Maple Blues Awards.

Reviews for his latest album, Morningstar, have been stellar.  All Music Magazine gave it a 10/10, while influential US blues-rock outlet, Rock and Blues Muse, said “Antonik is clearly focused on making music that advances the state of blues/rock and guitar music in general.  He’s got bigger game on his mind and is creating music that will stretch your soul when you hear it. He’s a fully developed artist working on something big. We should all be listening.” 

A few days after its Aug. 5 release, Morningstar charted on the Roots Music Report at No. 4 for radio play in Canada (all genres) and No. 7 in the U.S. (for blues rock). The album also hit No. 1 in Canada on the Roots Music Report, the week of Aug. 13, and No. 20 in the U.S. for blues. 

 

The Whythouse

The Whythouse is back with a new song called Urban Country, This fast paced, fun and energetic song is our 11th studio release this year. Urban Country is the final single released off The Country Files LP. It features a little bit of urban and a little bit of country which is no surprise based on The Whythouse's previous releases.

The Whythouse is a multi-versatile urban collective fronted by Chris Hale alias Plex who hails from Toronto, Canada. This prose fits in perfectly in that pop box as they do in the Country scene and is what has made it a fan favorite with the tracks from their impressive discography going on to amass millions of streams with massive airplay on radio and other digital channels. It seems like everything the band touches ultimately turns to gold and is really proving to be one of the most innovative and creative collectives of its generation. The Whythouse connects with its audience by putting their hearts and souls into their songs while ingeniously investing real-life stories into their lyrics.

 https://www.thewhythouse.com/

 

Multi-Honoured Hamilton, ON Blues Artist André Bisson is in a Total Funk with "Missing You"

 

It’s a sad symptom of the human condition. Sometimes we just don’t realize what we really have until it’s gone. This cornerstone component of the blues gives award winning singer-songwriter André Bisson the foundation for his funky, driving new single, “Missing You” - available now!

The first taste of the Hamilton-based, internationally touring artist’s 9th album, “The Ballad of Lucy Stone”, due out September 30, “Missing You” emphatically checks all the boxes of a killer, scathing blues track with a funkified soul. Bisson’s guitar is meaty and rhythmic, and his voice is primed with emotion and gravelly heartache. The horn section jumps in with searing melodic fills and the super tight rhythm section solidly ushers the whole song along at a pace guaranteed to inspire maximum groove.

“‘Missing You” is about a man who has talked his way out of a good relationship and hopes that it’s not too late to fix it,” says the 2022 Hamilton Arts Award nominee. “There is a revelation that becomes clear: it’s not who we can live with but instead who we can’t live without.”

Some say that loneliness
Lives alongside misery
Till that girl came and saved my soul
I was keeping both company

We’d all like to avoid having them but, regrets are definitely the fuel that drives “Missing You” and makes the song universally relatable.

“Sometimes all the little changes that are asked of us are for our own benefit, to improve our own quality of life,” explains Bisson. ”Sometimes it takes being deprived of that to realize just how truly special our relationship is. The hope is that this epiphany is realized before it’s too late.”

“Missing You” is the first introduction to Bisson’s new album “The Ballad of Lucy Stone”, set for release on September 30. This is the Bruce Mines, Ontario-born, Hamilton-based singer-songwriter’s 9th album release since 2009. That’s a staggering average of a new album every 18 months for the past 13 years from this prolific singer-songwriter and tireless live player. And all that hard work is delivering. Over those 13 years, Bisson has gained notoriety with awards such as Hamilton Blues Awards’ “Male Vocalist of the Year”, “Song of the Year” from Blues and Roots Radio, and he’s been nominated for four Hamilton Arts Awards. He was also selected by the Grand River Blues Society to compete at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee.

“The Ballad of Lucy Stone” is a tribute of sorts to a real, historic figure and builds its theme inspired by her story. Lucy Stone (1818 - 1893) was a women’s rights activist in mid-19^th century Massachusetts. Stone was the first woman in the State to earn a college degree and became a vocal advocate and organizer for the women’s suffrage movement, which eventually led to passing the 19^th amendment which granted women the right to vote in the U.S.

The story of Lucy Stone reflects the theme of this album,” notes Bisson. “The road to change may be difficult, but many things worth doing often are. We must not avoid the obstacles in our lives but instead face them head on. Fear is only a reminder that we are working towards something worth fighting for.“

Bisson certainly exhibits fearlessness and pure joy when fronting his band that can range in size from 6 to 20 members. However, he’s a do-it-yourself artist when it comes to songwriting and arrangements. Much like his previous albums, He’s the sole writer of all 10 tracks on “The Ballad of Lucy Stone” and produced the album. He’s no one-man band in the studio though. While Bisson plays all the guitars and sings lead and some background vocals on this album, he was joined by Jesse O’Brien on piano and keyboards, Mike Rowell on bass guitar, Keagan Early on drums and other percussion, Pat Carey on tenor sax, Gordon Aeichele on tenor & baritone sax and clarinet, Loretta Hale on trumpet and cello, Shawn Moody on trumpet, Rob Somerville on trombone, Lizuarte De Sousa on flute, Kevin Matthews on clarinet, Dan Rodrigues on dobro, accordion and piano, Paul Barna on violin/viola and Theresa Hale-Charters, Quisha Wint and Selena Evangeline on background vocals.

With 13 very busy years of music career building leading Bisson and his band to play sold out shows in Canada, the U.S., U.K. and Europe, he knows the work and dedication it takes to establish and grow in the music biz. 

Big changes do not happen overnight,” says Bisson. ”It is the little actions we take each day that make the difference.” 

Lucy Stone’s reported final words are also words to live by for Bisson and his music.

“Make the world better.”

For Bisson, it’s one great song and one sold out show at a time.

 https://www.andrebisson.ca/

George Dooley

 

George Dooley is a singer songwriter who has been playing and performing for over twenty years. He had always been frustrated in trying to get his songs produced. About two years ago he discovered the virtual world of music production, and he has never looked back. In just under two years, he already has four songs under license with Alcon Sleeping Giant (“ASG”), the music licensing arm of Alcon Entertainment, and another with Figure & Groove, a publishing house out of NY. His reputation as a lyricist continues to grow and his songs are generally fun and include great stories and clever lyrics. His catalog continues to grow, and he hopes his songs bring some joy. He also would welcome the opportunity to connect with recording artists who want to further bring his songs to life.

https://dukesongs.net/

Wild Wisteria

 

Sending waves in the Folk and Rock world, traversing the diverse genres of Classic Rock, Indie Pop Rock, Folk Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Country Blues, and Jazz to Pop-Electrical Dance, Wild Wisteria is set to soar, inspiring listeners with their stunning compositions. The musical collective reflects the artistic genius of lead vocalist and founding singer-songwriter, Malcolm Raedel, and Matt Williams, co-writer and backing vocalist, who also plays guitar, electric bass and banjo for the band. The two seasoned artists are complemented by drummers Steve Staben, David Hopgood, Kelvin Sugars, and Jamie Jones, along with Craig Kelly on Bass, Saxophone by Peter Raidel, keyboards by Ron Ennis and Paul White, and Dave Blight on Harmonica.

Born in Adelaide, South Australia, Malcolm has striven from an early age, to write songs that are lyrically and musically distinctive. Matt has complemented his command of guitar styles of greats such as Eddie Van Halen, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Nuno Bettencourt and Frank Gambale, with technical expertise and production skills.

The critical turning point for Wild Wisteria was a meeting at Fat Trax Recording Studios, where Matt was the sound engineer and producer. A veteran songwriter, Matt was an accomplished performer, guitarist and all-round musician. Malcolm had formed his own independent recording label, Emagin8ion Music.

Wild Wisteria’s debut album, “Enigma Road”, was released in 2008, and moved between folk and rock, with a touch of country. It captured a folk-inspired view of the Australian landscape, past and present, the influence of immigrant settlers, and the humour-infused reality of "By the Dunny in the Pale Moon Light". At the same time, it reflected personal experience in an international context, in the days when when Hong Kong was still a British colony.

This was followed by “Crystal Tangerine” in 2013, a more exploratory collection, but still grounded in the folk-rock-pop influences of the ‘60’s and ‘70’s. Again there is an international dimension, with inspiration drawn from travel in Europe and North America. Critical review of the last track on the album has been described as ”a surprising yet stunning departure from the heavily folk-inspired sound of previous Wild Wisteria songs. “Smokin’ Annie’s Place” sees the group dip their toes into the unquestionably smooth and suave world of Jazz and the results are nothing short of breathtaking.”

Wild Wisteria, the album, was released late in 2020, reflecting a seamless collaboration between the two principal artists. For Malcolm, "Wild Wisteria", the song, sums up his perspective on life. Yet again, there is the recounting of experiences drawn from living for a time in the US. Every song on the album is a single, including the previously released and widely applauded pop-electronica , “Year of the Snake”.

Thematically, Wild Wisteria offers a wide range of narratives, imbued with rich and mesmerizing song writing and production. Whether inspired by love, loss, political events or life’s great enigmas, Wild Wisteria presents an authentic portrayal of experiences that transcend the boundaries of time, culture and geography, through magnetic vocals, lyricism and musical brilliance. If one word could be selected to represent professional reviews of the first three albums, it would be "creativity."

Moving forward, the band hopes to craft even more authentic musical compositions, while also rallying listeners towards their past musical releases.

 https://wildwisteria.hearnow.com/

Claudia Campagnol

 

Claudia Campagnol's voice is extremely powerful, yet warm and soulful. She takes inspiration from jazz, pop, soul, and R&B, showcasing a stunning flair for improvisation and vocal arrangements.

Claudia Campagnol has a deep-rooted affection for jazz fusion, and she has achieved great success on the jazz scene in Denmark as well as abroad. Her debut album "I'm Strong" (2019) was nominated for Danish Music Awards Jazz in two categories: 'Best Vocal Album' and 'Best New Act', and received excellent reviews worldwide.

But for a while, Claudia has considered trying her hand at other genres.

With her single "Dance With Me" (2020) – inspired by names like Chaka Khan and Sade – Claudia stepped into a funky pop/R&B world that suits her amazingly.

In February 2021, Claudia released the beautiful love ballad Abracadabra, with which she participated in 'Dansk Melodi Grand Prix 2021' (the Danish pre-selection for ‘Eurovision Song Contest’).

In March 2021, the super catchy "Do You Love Me (Dance Edit)" was released – and with an ongoing desire to challenge herself, she continued down the Pop/R&B/Soul path with her single "Everything's OK" (June 2021). – This time adding a flirty touch of Reggaeton.

Her new single "Confused" is a laid-back, confident and funky affair that makes you dream of the California sun and cruising up and down legendary PCH (Pacific Coast Highway) - or the French Riviera. Think West Coast music, Earth Wind & Fire, Bill Champlin and Michael Ruff, and the mood is set.

https://www.claudiacampagnol.com/

Hickory Hank

 

Has it been a long time? Nah, that's actually great. So not so long ago a number of musicians, relatively unknown to each other, got together to share their love for Country and Americana, in particular. Joint heroes soon found the men in Johnny Cash, Hank Williams and Gram Parsons. There is also a common preference for the more traditional instruments. They mean guitar, mandolin, banjo, bassukulele and whatever else comes to the table.

From their town on the Rhine, the men are slowly but steadily building a solid live reputation. And they are welcome guests on and off stage. Given their set of instruments, they have freedom of movement to play in any cozy corner. In fact, that's probably what they like the most. Blessed with voices like nightingales, the polyphonic vocals really add value.

https://www.facebook.com/HickoryHankTank

https://hickoryhank.jouwweb.nl/

Gulf Stream Riders, new album

 

 

 

Gulf Stream Riders, aka Chris and Nalle , are former members of a hard rock band that had a record deal with Warner Music in Scandinavia and toured the clubs in LA. After a breakup that lasted many years, with Chris studying back home in NY and Nalle writing and producing for artists around the world, they reunited to pursue the long time dream of making the kind of music closest to their hearts; Country/Folk.

Barn Music is the first full-length album from Gulf Stream Riders since they began releasing music in 2018. The album is a snap-shot of GSR’s consistently excellent work, with increasing focus on the folk and roots side of their sound. 

 

12 tracks, 5 never before released songs/versions.  

 

Heart Trying Mind Lying is a plain-spoken song about sad endings and new beginnings; and also a toungue-in-cheek reference to vocalist Christopher John’s surprise heart attack and surgery in ‘21. Heart Trying Mind Lying somehow manages to be mournful and optimistic at the same time.

 

https://twitter.com/RidersGulf

DRAGONFLIES

 

DRAGONFLIES, The South Wales indie trio.

https://linktr.ee/dragonfliesmusicuk

Sano Hill

 

Sano Hill is a singer-songwriter based in Galway (Ireland) currently recording his debut album. His songs are inspired by life, love and loss and he has played to audiences in the US and Ireland with his work released already to critical acclaim on compilation albums, including 'Origin: See the Light', 'New Horizons', and 'Inundations' (which also featured music from leading international acts, including Josh Ritter, Ron Sexsmith, Lloyd Cole, Damien Rice, Mundy and The Frames). 

“Circlewalk” – released on July 29 – is the third single from his forthcoming album (music review responses to "Circlewalk" as well as his acclaimed previous singles “The Climb” and “Starting Over” are available here: https://sanohillsongs.wixsite.com/sano-hill/reviews). The forthcoming album as a whole (titled “If Not Now, When?”) charts the course of a relationship from hopeful beginnings, to emotional crises, breakup and recovery. “CircleWalk” is a darker song than the previous releases, dealing with the challenging subject of communication breakdown in a relationship, when two people can't find the words to say how they feel and instead walk in circles around what they need to say. This song is about expression, about breaking the silence. It features a full band sound, driving chorus and memorable final refrain. It was recorded at Dublin's legendary Windmill Lane Studios with award-winning producer Larry Hogan. 

Sano Hill “is blessed with a strong and distinctive voice” (Galway Advertiser) and his work has been described as defining “a timeless recipe for original guitar music: inventive, humanist lyrics sung from the gut, then embedded in rhythms to barrage or soothe the soul" (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel). For leading Irish music magazine, Hot Press, Sano Hill daringly “tries to capture the sound, sense and smell of Galway in a similar vein to Van Morrison's finest compositions about his native Belfast." (Hot Press).

 https://linktr.ee/SanoHill

Changing Tymz

 

In 2016, after hitting some roadblocks with original music and deciding that playing in the cover/club scene was not in his heart, Tony Rossi wanted something new. Driven by the desire to form a band that brought together a unique mix of musicians, he began the long road to what would lead him to Changing Tymz . A journey that required time and patience as the right band would be born in the collaboration of musicians, willing to prove their passion, musical talent, faith, direction and ability to work together as an integral and equal piece of the process . The original line-up itself would take over 3 years .

During this same time period, guitarist Timmy Wysong was looking to find an accomplished drummer to join his former band. Connecting through a music search, Tony submitted an audition piece for the band at Timmy’s request. Although things didn’t work out for the initial project, Tony and Timmy discovered a respect for each other’s talents and decided to begin collaboration .

Adding vocalist Matt Martin to the group, the band was now beginning to take shape and the direction of the band’s sound became clear . Originally striving for a heavier and darker sound, the addition of Matt’s voice and unique style allowed them to dig deeper in the roots of true metal, and melodic fashion to create a mix of modern and classical metal .

All the while, bass player Bryan McQuade was also looking for a solid commitment in an original project. When Changing Tymz and Bryan crossed paths the band asked him to submit an original bassline for the song "Stand Up" . Taking his chances, Bryan sat down to write, submitted a piece … and a bass player was found .

Now at four members strong, all that was needed was another guitarist to add to the line-up . Knowing whoever it was needed to be the right fit, after several auditions and more than a year later, the band finally welcomed Eric Fenton in November of 2019 .

Five talented musicians, having never met before, all from different backgrounds, cemented by desire and passion for the music is what made this line-up work so well, they officially released their 5 track EP in February of 2020.

In January of 2021, Changing Tymz and Matt Martin parted ways and the search for a new vocalist was launched. Again finding the perfect committed fit would take time. After an extensive search and tryout, Joann E Wolfe and Changing Tymz began working on new material, and the melodies and songs just came together like magic. The line-up was again complete. Now in mid-summer of 2022, they are prepped for a relaunch with a story-line video/song, in addition to an 11track full length release, and will follow that up with an updated, re-recorded-mixed/mastered, version of the original 5 track EP. Keep your eyes and ears open for future information and releases, as with the explosive re-launch of an already up-n-coming band, the world truly has only begun to see the music of Changing Tymz !

 https://www.changingtymz.com/

Luminous Wavez

 

 Luminous Wavez is acclaimed U.K. artist Leaone (Lee-own) and American lyricist Mike Dobbins (Patience Gloria) collaborative effort birthed during the long days of Covid. Their 2nd EP, Ashes of the Artist, displays the incredible music potential of the duo. While binge listening Cash, Cornell, and Cave, Dobbins reached deep into the depths of his being to reveal buried emotions longing for release. The resulting lyrics are dark, honest, painful, courageous, and demonstrate a maturity derived from life experience. The youthful musical genius of Leaone infused the perfect modern day indie rock sounds into the songs with his deep, haunting baritone voice and ridiculously catchy melodies. Revenge Song Spiritual starts the journey, showcasing a fearless, uncompromising message of vengeance that would make Johnny Cash proud. The introspective Ex Regrets provides a reflective meditation on lost relationships and the naive Gatsby like hope of their resurrection. Let the Pain Be Your Light destroys commonly held assumptions of pain, seeing it not as something to run away from but embraced in order to grow and escape the darkness. The closing track, Have No Fear, has a Nick Cave minimalist feel and stands out as a brave, hopeful song that leaves the listener emboldened and revitalized at the end of the EP's journey. Mixed and Mastered by Math (Matt) Bishop (U2, The Killers), Ashes of the Artist ups Luminous Wavez game in the music world. Their future is wide open.

 https://www.facebook.com/LuminousWavez

Brian Mitchell

 

Who is Brian Mitchell? Why is he writing and recording new albums of original songs at his age and stranger still, why do people like them?

Answering these questions in no particular order, Brian views age as having zero relevance to anything past physics. If anything, the work he’s doing is simply past due because creativity has been at the core of his personality since he was a child. And that life began as the youngest of 7 kids growing up immersed in the harmonies of Lennon and McCartney, the incredible rhythms and amazing songs that came out of Detroit and Motown Records. In fact all of the music he’s liked from Broadway soundtracks to Brill Building pop, the lyrical craft and vocal harmony arrangements from those eras, all resonate with him. He simply loves music. “It’s the one language every culture, every race and every nation has in common... we all understand it and we all love it.”

Brian’s journey includes ten years as a broadcaster and over the course of that time and the radio stations he worked for, his playlists included hits from five decades covering standards to rock, pop and jazz. At the age of 21 he decided to buy his first guitar, later pursuing college studies in music, learning theory and harmony. Eventually , he added Bass and piano as additional instruments. “Writing songs on piano vs. guitar ... the two are completely different expressively and each brings something unique.”

What you might not know is very likely something you actually do know. His voice. Brian is the voice of national and regional commercials to PBS documentaries and program narrations for networks like Discovery and Science Channel.

But now... There’s Act 3.
In July 2021, “Love & Lies”, Brian’s debut album was released, with a mixture of styles that reflect his broad influences. “I’m only one person. One writer. I don’t have a partner in this to craft some other side to what I’m releasing, so I’m trying to not issue a narrow sort of ‘sound’ per say, I want my albums to be interesting.”

“Love & Lies” features 11 tracks with five of those also released as singles, all available on every major streaming platform both nationally and overseas. A lyric video for his song ‘Love’ has just been released and is streaming to social media. Two new albums are already in pre-production with session dates scheduled throughout the Winter. The musicians include the rhythm section from Genesis’ guitarist Daryl Stuermer’s touring band, and all are among his areas finest.

So why now? Why begin such ambitious projects? “Because I enjoy it. Really, no other reason necessary. I like writing and love recording with these outstanding musicians and my fondest dream for all of it is that just maybe we are asked for live performances at some point. Giving music to people is a gift to us and to them and what could be better than that really?”

 https://brianmitchellofficial.com/

Armored Dawn

 

Create a concept, find the right partners, work to make it all cohesive and invest in the potential to pursue your goals. From this perspective, Armored Dawn appeared in 2014 and became relevant in the Brazilian metal scene. After all, there were tours and shows alongside great bands such as Saxon, Megadeth, Scorpions, Whitesnake, Europe, Hammerfall, Rhapsody, Fates Warning, Sabaton, Tarja, plus the participation in the Motörboat, the cruise of the legendary Motörhead.

The first two albums Power of Warrior (2016) and Barbarians in Black (2018) were produced by big names like Tommy Hansen (Helloween, Jorn), Bruno Agra (We Are Harlot) and Kato Khandwala (The Pretty Reckless, Papa Roach). The third album, Viking Zombie, was produced, mixed and mastered by Rodrigo Oliveira and Heros Trench, a veteran producer, with more than 200 bands under his belt and a Latin Grammy.

Presenting a sophisticated and versatile metal, the group collects great works in music videos, such as “Sail Away”, which had a huge cinematographic production, as well as “Beware of the Dragon”, shown in all movie theaters in Brazil during the trailers for the film Aquaman, in 2018. In turn, “Ragnarok” and “Animal Uncaged” (recorded at the Rockfest festival, at Allianz Parque, São Paulo, when they played for about 37,000 people) have millions of views on YouTube.

More recently they released the single “Stronger Together”, very well accepted by the public, and prepared the fourth studio album, Brand New Way, recorded at Dharma Studios, mixed by Chris Lord Alge (Muse, Green Day, Nickelback) and mastered by Ted Jensen (Bring Me The Horizon, Evanescence, Metallica). This album will be released later this year.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5vJ33wvNfw

Urban Walrus

 

Urban Walrus - probably the most boring band in the world - was formed in January 2021 by Swiss-born multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter Fabian Koerber.

Boring, thats because Urban Walrus is a very lazy creature that loves to keep a low profile and hardly ever appears on social media.
Instead, the focus is on writing and recording songs and sharing them with the world.

Honestly, there's not much you need to know about Urban Walrus - the music and lyrics literarily speak for themselves.

Not much to say really…

Wishing you Love, Peace and Chocolate Cake.

Urban Walrus, himself

 https://music.apple.com/ch/album/pie-in-the-sky/1596100625?i=1596100926

The Western Country Band

 

  „It is an awesome journey through my life with my music, my friends, my kids, my wife...“ (“The Journey” by TWCB)

It all started with a van. No, not a fan. Andy M. Veit didn't have a fan back in those days. Except his mother. - God bless all the cheering mothers out there! - He just had a van. It was old, a little bit rusty and slow.

„I'm on the road, have nowhere to go, no hurry, I take it slow...“ (“I'm On The Road” by TWCB)

Andy took all his money from his bank account to buy a guitar, a little PA and this old van. He quit his studies at university. Andy wanted to be a musician. Surely his parents felt really enthusiastic about this well thought out idea of their youngest son.

“At nights I play my guitar in a bar...” (“Family Man” by TWCB)

The following years were filled with little money but with lots of fun. To make your living as a musician is hard work but filled with passion, friendship to impressive people and sound, sound, sound.

In 2017 Andy M. Veit took the chance to found TWCB with his great guitar playing friend Marco Birkner. The very talented bass player Mike Oberhauser and the fabulous drummer Erny Moucka joined them.

“So many people are there, yes they seem to care! With a big wide grin I start to sing...” (“A Good Night's Song” by TWCB)

The first concert was arranged quickly. The band worked hard and had a lot of fun to create their own sound. But the joy in the matter was even greater: The first concert already packed! Incredible.

“Successful on my way, no time for a stay. Too far and further on, too fast on and on...” (“Home” by TWCB)

And how did it continue? Logically with the second concert. And?
The hall was full again. Madness. More and more guests came to the following concerts. The setlist was constantly expanded. Guest musicians invited. Fireworks of fun shared with the audience.

Own songs have been written. The first album "The Journey" was recorded in 2018. The single „Christmas In The Country“ was released in 2019 and in 2020 Corona couldn't stop them. „Little Love Song“ was produced. In 2021 it was released worldwide and reached a great amount of airplay (nearly) all over the world!

And now?
“It's Time To Smile” by TWCB ;-)

  https://www.thewesterncountryband.com/

Stephen Wines

 

Small town musician and songwriter Stephen Wines is quickly making a big impact on the local and national music scene. The release of his first studio single “Country Girl” was an instant success among critics from all backgrounds! You can find Stephen touring all over the continental USA including Alaska and into Canada! 

 https://www.facebook.com/stephen.wines/

 https://www.instagram.com/stephenwinesmusic/

Stacie Collins

 'Darlin' Why?' is the first single off the long awaited DAMN GIRL! album from Nashville roots rocker Stacie Collins.
 
Sporting a slam-bang rock ‘n’ roll band and a hard-core honky- tonk wail, Stacie Collins pushes the boundaries of rock, blues and country. A singer-songwriter and a bad-ass harmonica player in the style of Chicago Blues greats Little Walter and James Cotton, Collins has garnered a reputation for her high energy shows, diverse songwriting and unlike most chick-singers, they are not all about love and heartbreak.
 
Based in Nashville, TN, Stacie is a road warrior having performed countless shows in the USA and Europe over the past few years and has even spawned a Japanese “Stacie Collins” tribute band. In addition to touring, Collins, along with her writing partner, husband, band mate Al Collins (Jason & The Scorchers) have written, recorded and released five records on her own label.
 
 https://staciecollins.com/

The Livesays

  

The Livesays are an accomplished five-piece Heartland/Americana band fronted by the band’s namesake critically acclaimed singer/songwriter/guitarist Billy Livesay, who spent 12 years performing, recording and touring with E-Streeter Clarence Clemons' band "Temple of Soul." During his 12-year tenure with the beloved “Big Man,” Billy recorded and released "Live in Asbury Park" Volumes I & II at The Stone Pony, the second album which features Bruce Springsteen. Billy has shared the stage with so many industry giants, his resume reads like a "Who's Who of Rock n' Roll Hall of Famers."

Drummer Steve Rheingold, was formerly the beat keeper with the legendary Wayne Cochran.

The Livesays' lineup is rounded out with Jorge Laplume on bass, Victor "Cuqui" Berrios on Hammond B-3 organ, and Tim Murphy on piano, all of whom have impressive resumes of their own. Cuqui, who grew up in New York City, offers a touch of the Big Apple to the band with his Hammond B3 and impassioned vocals. Tim brings his ear for harmony and his unique Elton John style piano. Jorge hails from Havana, Cuba; with his Latin roots coupled with a steady diet of the rock groups The Who and Free, he delivers a bass sound that is both funky and thunderous.

The combination of these five seasoned pros, with their versatile backgrounds, incomparable harmonies, energy level, and undeniable chemistry, create real magic on stage together and put on one heck of a dynamic live performance.

The Livesays have created five full length albums that are both memorable and moving with stories ranging from adolescence to adulthood, from battling addiction to conquering depression, from finding love to losing love ... with lyrics that will surely touch your heart and quench your soul. 

 https://www.thelivesaysmusic.com/

Crystal Shawanda

 

JUNO Award-winning powerhouse singer-songwriter Crystal Shawanda is back with a new studio album, Midnight Blues, set for release this September 30th on True North Records. The latest fiery bluesy Americana collection features the first single  “How Bad Do You Want It” — showcasing her full-throttle raspy voice, unmatched in today’s musical landscape, and an authenticity for the genre dating back to her youth.

“Growing up, all of my favorite music had these breadcrumbs that led me to the blues,” Crystal says. “I often quote Willie Dixon: ‘Blues is the roots and everything else is the fruits.’ Even today's pop music, there's all this influence that derives from the blues. I was just always really attracted to the rawness and the realness of the blues.”

Produced and engineered in Nashville by her husband and long-time collaborator Dewayne Strobel, Midnight Blues — her eighth studio album, and fifth since switching from a chart-topping career as a country artist —  is a collection of original songs, such as the seductive-sounding rocker “Midnight Blues,” swampy dance-floor groove “Rumpshaker,” and gentler “Take A Little Walk With The Moon,” as well as covers of the Howlin’ Wolf classic “Evil” and her take on Celine Dion’s hit “That’s Just The Woman In Me.”

 “This is absolutely my favorite album I've ever recorded because I feel like my husband put me in a picture frame,” says Crystal. “He really captured who I am as an artist. He let my vocal shine. He brought out the best in me and all the songs that we wrote really capture my live show and who I am.”

Raised in Sault Ste. Marie, Crystal was introduced to the blues by her eldest brother and to old-time country by her parents. “I was also into other styles of music that led me to the blues,” she says, citing everything from Elvis Presley’s “Hound Dog,” written by Big Mama Thornton, to R&B-pop star Monica’s “Misty Blue,” by Dorothy Moore.

 “I was one of those kids who read the liner notes,” Crystal says.  “I wanted to know everything, who are the songwriters, the musicians, the producers, the engineers. I'm always wanting to know who are the originators, who are the mothers of invention, who inspired all of us?  I’m a purist at heart, so I was always diving back to learn from the masters, like Etta James, as far as vocalists; Muddy Waters, as far as feeling; and Buddy Guy, as far as stylists who have a lot of swagger.”

And yet Crystal’s first foray as a professional singer was in country music, not blues.  She was in her early 20s and had immediate success after signing a U.S. record deal with RCA Nashville. 2008’s Dawn of a New Day, featuring the single “You Can Let Go,” reached No. 1 on the Canadian Country Album chart and No. 16 on the Billboard Top Country Albums, the highest charting album by a full-blooded Canadian First Nations country artist (in the SoundScan-era). Her first single, You Can Let Go,”

The following year she left the label and created her own, New Sun Records. Her first release was the holiday album I’ll Be Home For Christmas. Her next country album was 2010’s Just Like You, which won a 2013 Juno Award for Best Aboriginal Album, before she made the change to the blues with 2014’s The Whole World’s Got The Blues.

 “I love all styles of music, but there was just always something drawing me to the blues,” she explains.  “I had a country hit on the radio, and I would show up at country music festivals and I'd do a BB King cover or Buddy Guy or Etta James. Within country music, as much as I loved it, I had to restrain my voice a lot. It's very hard to hold back, and sometimes it was exhausting, whereas with the blues, I could just let it fly.”

While other artists have been embraced when they’ve made the switch to a different genre — Taylor Swift from country to pop; Dallas Smith from hard rock to country; and Darius Rucker from pop/rock to country — Crystal doesn’t mind talking about the difficulties she’s encountered.

“Country music is so excited when anybody from any genre comes to their world, hoping it'll make their world more popular. It'll up the cool factor but switching from country to blues is a lot more difficult because the blues scene is very protective because it's such an original genre. They want it to be respected and preserved.”

She would’ve had an easier time if she had created a blues-influenced sound, like the Black Crowes, Sass Jordan or Alannah Myles, but Crystal can hold her own in any conversation about the blues pioneers. Still, she still likes to cover an iconic Canadian artist in her inimitable way. Last album, it was The Tragically Hip’s “New Orleans Is Sinking” and this time, Celine Dion.

 “Because I had so much friction coming to the blues where people were like, ‘You don't know nothing about the blues,’ I'm trying to show them not to be so close-minded because a lot of people are more inspired by the blues than they may realize. Again, I'm trying to reiterate that quote by Willie Dixon that the blues is roots and everything else is the fruit.” 

 http://crystalshawanda.co/

Joe Bailey

 

British indie-folk outfit 'Joe Bailey' isn't actually just Joe Bailey; it's really two long-time friends and musicians Joe Bailey and Gaz Wilby, wedded by their passion for eclectic, vintage soundscapes. Joe had initially written an acoustic album that his musical soulmate Gaz was going to mix and master for him, but when the opportunity arose for them to work their music magic in tandem, it only seemed right. 

"After getting back the first mixes I thought it sounded like an unfinished album, at which point Gaz said he loved the songs and would be up for adding other instruments and ideas... so that's what we did!"

What Joe and Gaz managed to create is bluesy, folksy and unmistakably retro in its feel. 'Without Love' traverses soft blues tones with jangly guitar riffs, and tom-heavy percussion lifts the energy. Cries of "without love we've got nothing at all" transform the track into something truly rousing. There's modern touches; subtle piano musings underpin the whole thing, yet a definite 60s anthemic feel runs throughout. 

'Without Love' is taken from Joe Bailey's soon-to-be released full length album (a self-titled project) – a collection of tracks close to Joe's heart: "This track and the whole album are the most personal and honest songs I've ever written. I'd not written any music for quite a few years and I did a lot of self-reflection in that time – I just felt like I needed to write some music again so I wrote this album."  

 

The 36-year-old is keen not to tie the Joe Bailey duo to any particular set of artists or genres. Instead, he clarifies that their sound is an all-welcoming vibe: "I don't know who our music is similar to but there's been a few comments saying 'Without Love' reminded them of The Beatles, which is obviously a super cool comparison for people to make. But I don't know, maybe it's for people who dig the kind of 60s/70s sounds and vibe – I'd like to think we've made some songs that almost anyone will enjoy."

The pair worked closely on the creative production of their album, yet Joe remains humble about his own song-writing process: "I'll just get a guitar melody or maybe a line of a song pop into my head and then I'll go find my guitar and just write," he says. "I think a lot of the songs from this album kind of wrote themselves. I know it sounds stupid but sometimes I don't even know where the words I write are coming from." 

Gaz Wilby collaborates on the album in epic style – 'Without Love' in particular; what was supposed to be an acoustic serenade became a powerful song of love through the virtues of innovative instrumentation, production and delicate mixing and mastering. "'Without Love' was just a few guitar chords and some words when I first sent it to him – he's brought the whole thing to life," Joe reflects.

For a musician who hasn't written music for years, 'Without Love' represents a special re-introduction to the scene – one that he's extremely proud of, and should be. The talented song-writer has some way to go to catch Paul McCartney and co. – but backed by the musical prowess and unbounded friendship of Gaz Wilby – can firmly cement his place in the indie-folk arena.

 

 https://linktr.ee/joebaileymusic

Jonathan Williams

 

Jonathan Williams tells powerful stories of faith, love, and family, using his evocative voice and intimate lyricism to build meaningful connections with his listeners. Not confined to a single genre, he combines elements of pop, rock, and folk to create his emotionally stirring sound. He is an artist of rare candor and authenticity, one who puts his entire heart into every song he writes.

Jonathan was born in Canada. He started his life as a musician being taught the songs of Gordon Lightfoot by his mother, on a guitar purchased by his father. As he grew up, his tastes began to expand dramatically. Discovering Joe Satriani was a seminal event in Jonathan’s life, and he quickly became obsessed with the guitar. He became a mainstay on the Victoria rock scene, both as a solo artist and a founding member of iRiS, opening for big name acts and establishing himself as a dynamic performer.

Eventually, Jonathan’s dream led him to Vancouver. That dream, however, would have to be deferred, as he fell in love, started a family, and began a new career as a police officer. For twelve years, Jonathan devoted himself to his work and his children, allowing music to become a thing of the past. However, when his life fell apart a few years later, music was there to save him.

In 2017, Jonathan’s marriage collapsed. He was suffering from severe depression and found himself unable to continue working. With nowhere else to turn too, Jonathan surrendered himself to God. He spent countless hours in prayer, finding hope in the teachings of the Bible. As his broken heart began to heal, Jonathan felt newly inspired, and with guidance from above, he decided to return to his first love - music.

The songs that Jonathan writes are a testament to the power of the human spirit. He explores the depths of his soul, turning his own loss into universally resonant messages of faith. Jonathan’s songs are performed with the conviction of a man who has hit rock bottom and still found the strength to carry on. With new music expected in 2022 and beyond, Jonathan is devoted to using his voice and music to inspire listeners around the world. 

 https://jonathanofficialmusic.com/

The Lost & Found

 

A south wales originals band with alternative guitar sounds and with added welsh swagger.

We're over the moon to be sharing with you the new album from, Cardiff-based rockers, The Lost & Found. 

Plastic World is packed with rifftastic tunes, great harmonies and is one of our favourite releases of 2022 so far.

 

https://music.apple.com/gb/album/plastic-world/1641323688

https://www.facebook.com/LostandfoundCardiff

Takin'off

 

"Takin'off" is a new Alternative Rock band.

Their first single "Come Together" is a tribute of respect and love to the great Liverpool Four. The band's unique style and musical approach to the original song make it sound even more lyrical and dramatic.

"Come Together" was released in early summer 2022 and immediately got into rotation in Greece, Aruba, Kirghizia.

The song "Come Together" has hundreds of cover versions, but this one, with its interesting arrangement and altered harmony, really catches, rocks and makes the audience fall in love with it again.

Takin'off did a great job!' - Edward Semenov, PD "Start FM" 104.5 Mordovia.

At the moment the band has locked themselves in the studio, working hard on an album that will include cover tracks of Nirvana, U2, Depeche Mode, and of course, several own tracks.  

 https://music.apple.com/ru/album/come-together/1631162764?i=1631162946