Reviews

Brad Peterson – The Ellipsis Album

URL: http://bradpeterson.com/

The Ellipsis Album is Brad Peterson’s first release since recovering from a major spinal injury that left him partially paralyzed for a time and struggling to complete tasks as basic as brushing his teeth. Music during this time period, naturally, took a distant back seat to the simple logistics of surviving day to day. Such setbacks are ultimately temporary to the truly creative and, as his health improved, Peterson found his thoughts increasingly turning towards music and songwriting. He draws from some obviously very personal experiences in the album’s thirteen songs, but it is never outright confessional and goes to great pains in its effect to connect the songs to universal listener experiences. The effort proves quite successful and the album gains further intimacy thanks to its production style – Peterson opted to handle all those duties himself and it likely results in the purest expression of his artistry yet in his career.

It is apparent we are in personal territory from the outset, but Peterson’s songwriting is developed enough to make even the most intimate moments ring out with an universal touch. Virtually anyone who has experienced life in a meaningful way, good times or bad, will relate to the opener “What the Open Heart Allows”. The acoustic guitar, sprinklings of electronic instrumentation, and tone-setting percussion come together very nicely, but it is all crowned by Peterson’s full-on, emotive vocals. “Unbroken” has much of the same strong drumming distinguishing the opener, but the arrangement isn’t quite as streamlined and has a more open-ended quality that makes this a more unusual listening experience. The same vocal qualities, however, come through and listeners will start to understand that presenting his voice is an area where Peterson excels mightily.

“All Roads Lead To Home” and “Montage Song (getting stuff done)” are probably The Ellipsis Album at its most electronic. Peterson never abandons traditional instrumentation entirely and the mix of these two approaches produces memorable results anchored by his intensely human vocals. “Underwear” will prove, undoubtedly, to be a real favorite with many thanks to its obviously pedigree as a love song of a sort and the humor Peterson slips into its narrative. It is the only song on The Ellipsis Album possessing such a strong hook and he makes the most of it to help this tune stand out even further. The quasi march tempo of “It’s Right Here” hints at taking off into something else entirely and never quite does, but the restrained tension helps make for a better tune. There are some minor musical adornments scattered throughout the piece, but percussion and synthesizer are the predominant aural strains composing the arrangement and Peterson’s vocal finishes it off nicely. “The Lesser Celandine” has a particularly inventive bass line and lyrics packed to the brim with concrete imagery – these two factors alone make it one of the album’s more memorable tracks but, once again, Peterson’s vocals bring everything home in a big way. The Ellipsis Album has something to offer all potential listeners and it is difficult, if not impossible, to not admire an album that takes so many chances and makes them all pay off.

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/bradpetersonmusic/

Shannon Cowden

John Brownlow – The Summertime

REVERBNATION: https://www.reverbnation.com/musician/johnbrownlow

Let’s be honest for just a second shall we. I get a lot of albums sent my way for review and I mean a lot. Most of them don’t do anything for me. They don’t always get happily placed in the CD player, but the ones that do usually get a three song stay of execution and generally if they last past that they get my full unadulterated attention. Sometimes I’m hooked from the first track, and that’s precisely what happened when I put the latest release (The Summertime) by Ontario, Canada based Singer-Songwriter-Rocker John Brownlow on. The CD bursts to life with “Burn Hollywood Burn” and its fantastic rocked out sound that follows through with a wonderful sequence of songs, 29 of them to be exact. It twists and turns the way great albums should with a little bit of rock and some other styles throw in when you less expect it.

Comprised of Powerpop, alternative rock, blues and even Bossanova, this CD is a tour of John’s different writing and playing styles. The topics include layoffs, break ups, love and other aspects of life.

I also really like to song line up – the way each song masterfully transitions through to the next creating much in the way of drama. So many bands, artists and record labels get this basic skill so wrong. They fail to listen to the songs at their disposal and seemingly throw the album together without giving it any real thought. I’ve known people who work to formulas making sure that their best songs start and finish the album with the remaining tracks squeezed between in a slapdash fashion. That’s not the case with Brownlow’s music and his latest effort “The Summertime”, in fact each track could probably survive on its own merits, but the album just flows so well. Brownlow could easily be heralded as classic sounding rock but there is so much more to him. I hear Elvis Costello, U2, Elton John, T Bone Burnett. Some pieces stand out like the more appealing to a mass audience “Live Forever”, ”Man In The Mirror” and “Storm Coming”. The strategic interweaving of systemic melody and impressive vocal performances from Brownlow is a delight, but the solid rhythmical foundation of Brownlow is essential to their artistic and commercial potential. The sound is that of the golden era of popular music in the sixties and the seventies when musicianship mattered! But the beauty of this record is the use of all mod-cons forcing Brownlow relevance into the modern world. Brownlow should achieve good support from radio and appears to be critical darlings from all around the world. But I am left bemused how Brownlow is not yet a household name. It’s not a case of all the elements being present but the final product being missing as the songs, the musicianship, the production, and the performance all knit together beautifully-even brilliantly. Maybe I’m lucky enough to be in on the ground floor? Maybe things are just about to kick on for Brownlow.

Whatever it is make sure you get hold of his latest double CD entitled “The Summertime” by John Brownlow – it’s a must have and in the class of all by itself.

SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/album/156p8tz81sXOIgoGl2EO8g

Tara Wright

Barbara Jo Kammer – One Song at a Time

RELATED ARTICLE: https://bluegrasstoday.com/one-song-at-a-time-barbara-jo-kammer/

Barbara Jo Kammer’s sixty two years of life have taken her on a ride that has cost her much but brought her all that much more. One Song at a Time is her first solo effort and a musical narrative of that period in her life and the ten years since its conclusion – a decade that has seen her consolidate her life, begin realizing her potential as a human being, and give something back to those in need through her role as a music therapist. There’s more than a hint of publically “working things out” on One Song at a Time, but it’s never uncomfortable. Listeners, instead, will find themselves basking in the warm and steady glow of songwriting that takes a well rounded view of life, is informed with regret and introspection, but nonetheless remains fiercely engaged with life. The rich musical backing she receives makes their performances even more formidable.

“I Can See Clearly Now” is a defining pop standard, a song that’s lived on in commercials and cover versions since its initial release, and Kammer’s version is a cut above the rest. She brings this completely into her wheelhouse by transforming it into a rambunctious bluegrass boogie, but the optimistic sentiments come through with every bit as much of the same energy we hear in the original. “Choices” certainly settles things down with its embrace of a slowly developing classic country arrangement complete with weeping fiddle courtesy of Jake Simpson, one of the album’s musical mainstays. The difficult lyric, chronicling a lifetime’s worth of dissipation at the hands of alcoholism, is handled beautifully and sensitively by Kammer. “Hard Promises to Keep” is another nod to the classic country sound, this time a male/female duet, and Kammer’s singing partner Greg Blake does a superb job of wrapping his voice around Kammer for maximum dramatic effect. Kammer does these sorts of songs particularly well – in her hands, the music takes on an added gravity thanks to the evocative phrasing she surrounds the lyrics with.

“Medicine Wheel” has some country music elements wafting through its arrangement, but it is much more of a straight forward folk song and free from any heavy handed tropes associated with genre. “The Winning Side” is Kammer’s sole songwriting contribution to One Song at a Time, but it’s a doozy. It’s apparent that the pent-up talents she’s harbored all these years are bursting to find release and this is one of the most supreme moments of that on the album. She embodies the hopeful lyric with an edge that few vocalists can. There’s an anagram of country and blues influences informing “New Shoes” with a little of the sprightliness we associate with New Orleans jazz adding a little extra spice. The fiddle playing is particularly effective here. She ends the album with a final nod to traditional country by taking on a classic track from the Blue Yodeler himself, Jimmie Rodgers. Her version of “Mule Skinner Blues” is stamped with her own personality, however, and ends the album with an appropriate balance of the personal and traditional. One Song at a Time is an affecting musical voyage that hits all its marks and more.

CD BABY: https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/barbarajokammer

Edward Price

Challenga – M.O.N.E.Y.

YOU TUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4Co9aAMXQk

From Manhattan, New York, parents divorced at the age of 5. Relocated with grandparents in Hong Kong from age 5 to 9. Went back to New York and lived in Brooklyn with Mom and Brother til 14, mom remarried and moved out to Vancouver, Canada and lived there for a year and then moved again to Oakland California, attended skyline high for half of freshmen year and switch to Oakland High School. Graduated Oakland High school in 07 and attended University of California Davis. And that is all there is to know about Challenga from where he currently stands, with his first official EP entitled M.O.N.E.Y.

Who knows where the money goes from here, but that’s where it came from and it’s a solid place to start as “604” immediately establishes his rap prowess as a force to reckon with. It doesn’t matter if you’ve heard him before, he makes a huge first impression. At least he did every time I listened to each magnificent cut off this EP. It’s adult lingo-oriented but within that context it’s a standard that floats the right boat, so to speak. You don’t come across this every day, and I also don’t know of any other work by producer 40K, but his credit is due as well, for the liquid mix that keeps it together.

You feel the words as much as you hear them, and that’s where the engineering comes in and works its overall magic on top of the rhythm that says busy the whole time he’s rapping to the beat. “Blow” is the most superior song out of the five, for those who don’t just call them tunes. He gets into some drug culture and other subjects to make this one stand-out, but that doesn’t stop here. It does continue to get stronger, which is another bridge to cross without burning when it comes. It’s worth it to take this one in at full volume, then tone it down and really listen to the next track on headphones if you want the words.

It will sink in with much more success if you follow that advice on “It Will Be No Different” unless the lyrics to rap aren’t important to you, and that would be a rare thing considering it is a vocal-driven artform and vehicle for the voice. This is where his writing skills either hit their zenith point or don’t. It can go either way but mostly likely it won’t if you’re a hip hop, soul and R&B lover. It’s all in there for the taking, so make sure you’ve got some ear buds handy and you’ll get the gist without having to repeat any lyrics in this review. The hypnotic keys and syncopated beats enhance it all-the more.

The title rap is “M.O.N.E.Y.” and it deals with all kinds of what he’s carrying as beat clout to over rhyme without over shining. It all comes out in the wash like a good stand-up comic routine, only applied to the obvious. He’s crunching numbers for the sole value of his own soul satisfaction, and if you like it, he’s reaching the right minds, souls and bowl-smoking fans he’s preaching to. He makes it perfectly clear not to take everything he songs so seriously, but he doesn’t pull any punches either. He takes it out in style with the sonically spacy, socio-political rhymes of “Queenless” to seal the real M.O.N.E.Y. deal.

BANDCAMP: https://challenga.bandcamp.com/

Mike Tabor

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/ephrataband

They may be far from the only band working in this style, but Ephrata’s first and self-titled full length is an eleven song opus certain to snag them a measure of status in indie circles. Formed in 2012 by guitarist Brady Hall, the band has evolved to the point that this release shows them off as colorful yet tasteful, thoroughly modern, and capable of mixing compelling musical textures with genuinely probing lyrics. Vocalist Skandi von Reis is the other key component of the song and she distinguishes herself at numerous points throughout the recording. The Seattle band’s talents are growing at an exponential rate across the board and this full length studio album chronicles the extent of their ambitions and growing skills. Only an EP and album into their careers and the members of Ephrata sound like a seasoned artistic unit with a complete sound and focused approached towards their goals.

If the band wanted the album to get off to a fast and memorable start, they could have scarcely chosen better than “Odds”. This briskly paced number shimmering with Brady Hall’s guitar has an equally dexterous rhythm section that lays down an intensely musical counterpoint to the top line melodic instruments. The vocals come as advertised – dreamy, ethereal aimed solo singing augmented with multi-part harmonies spread out across the sonic canvas with an ear turned towards atmosphere and grandeur. There’s a circular, revolving quality to the song “Tunguska” quite different from the opener but just as recognizably Ephrata. Bassist Jules Jordan stands out on “Sea of Straight Faces”, but there are a lot of factors coming together to make this one of the band’s best songs thus far. It sounds even more fleshed out and threaded together than earlier numbers, but that feeling doesn’t create any of its expected distance. Ephrata, instead, are masters of dynamics and possess a truly world class singer in their ranks. “Sea of Straight Faces: comes together in such a way you can’t deny its emotional heft.

The album probably hits its grittiest notes with the tandem “Fiend Folio” and “1000 Things”. The first track balances its electronic and instrumental attack to great effect while still maintaining a hard nosed approach. The latter tune, “1000 Things”, favors the guitar much more and has a near-raucous punk rock fervor. “Consequence” has an airy, upward trajectory that generates a fair amount of tension, but the band never resolves it in a satisfactory way. The second to last track on the album, “Evil Twin”, is a likely sleeper gem on the album that no one should overlook – they bring another texture to the band’s arsenal and convincingly inhabit a largely acoustic setting. The finale “Sun Scenario” is the album’s big statement, its extended piece intended to show off a fuller range of the band’s talents, and it has a vaguely hallucinatory and heavily dramatic gait. Ephrata’s musings on this tune prove they can inhabit larger sonic canvases and fill them with the same color. The album, as a whole, makes this indelible fact.

BANDCAMP: https://ephrata.bandcamp.com/

Dale Butcher

Steve Hutchinson – This August Night

I-TUNES: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/this-august-night/id1141629016

Co-founder of UK’s premiere Moody Blues tribute band, Blue Onyx back in 2006 Steve Hutchinson is well versed when it comes to music and performing. Ray Thomas, retired founder member of the Moody Blues even called Steve’s voice “great” after seeing him perform. However, when that came to an end several years later, he decided he had to continue-on with music. Come 2014 he dropped a couple records, including a Christmas album. Now he’s back with his latest, This August Night. “Timeless Wonder” reached the semi-finals of the 2016 US Song of the Year.

This August Night has 12 tracks, all with something a little different to offer within the same groove. They don’t vary much but they do stick together well with their own power to heal, sooth and work their magic however they can. Getting to the semi-finals for US Song Of The Year is nothing to balk at, so the opening track should deliver and it turns out that it does and then some. There’s a few reasons why this song works, the first being his ability to cut in with some outstanding vocal breaks, and then there’s the addition of the sax and the overall mood changes that bring it together to make it a hit.

A few other tracks stand out, and “This August Night” is one of them, in which the title track establishes itself apart from the rest of the record. There’s nothing else like it to be heard among the rest of the album, but it doesn’t hurt it one bit. And while it’s not quite the track the opener is, it still comes in somewhere between it and a few other I’ll get into. This isn’t pop, it isn’t rock, but it does have a space-rock feel to it, and that’s the only way to describe it. The keyboards are featured, containing a few textures that are also visited more than one place on the album, which I like the addition of.

“Going For The Gold” is the next track to praise for its overall excellence in every way. This is another song that could win him accolades if only heard to present it. Falling through the cracks is where most of the best music goes, and that’s just too bad because this is another song he worked out to such an advantage. Not hearing it is a crime, and that’s all I can say about it. There isn’t a team in the world that couldn’t relate to this number. It would sit well as any team’s tribute song. It might seem cheesy to the next, but only so many relate to all art forms, and that is what this song is really dedicated to.

“Life Begins At 50” gets a mention for its playful structure which leaves you remembering it before you’ve even heard the whole track. It radiates of the same vibrancy levels as the other featured in this review. It’s all very positive for the most part, with a few slower-paced tracks to balance the album out, and the title track “This August Night” and the instrumental “August” don’t seem to find any relation to each other besides the month of August, but they both show exactly how diverse the album really is. And that is just another cool thing about Steve Hutchinson and this release.

SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/album/5DG8OC66RSG4NFIbTTuYlN

Mike Tabor

Steve Meier

URL: https://www.stevemeiermusic.com/home

With a sound that sounds like a country boy who learned to rock it on the guitar, Steve Meier comes through with a unique sound every time an album is dropped. Whether it be 2016’s Meier or this April’s Sorrys and Goodbyes. He’s firing on all cylinders. Taking control of everything on Sorrys and Goodbyes, Steve handled the bass, guitars and the vocals but did have a little help from fellow musician and friend Jerrod Brunemeier who played on the title track as well as “Don’t Look Back.” Sorrys and Goodbyes is a gritty rock record with country elements hidden in the basement of each track.

If you’re looking for something cool, by someone cool, this EP does the business. It doesn’t lean too far in either the rock or country genres, instead it qualifies more along the lines of blues and Americana than country. “Hidden in the basement” is the best way to put it indeed because it’s just laced through the sound, but not the overall style of Steve Meier’s music. The EP begins with the red hot “Walkin With A Woman” to prove he means what he sings. It’s all about getting the eye from a lady and going out on the town from there. This is one kicking tune to say the very least. A real finger snapper.

The harder side comes pouring right out on the next track ‘You Don’t Know” with its playful but serious approach to songwriting that blends just right with everything else about it. The lyrics are fantastic, as they eat away at you with every witty set. They complement the chorus with absolute perfection. It’s probably the most-catchy track, if not the second. There’s only four tracks, so that’s barely enough to make such a call, but it has an edge over one or two of them. I rate it in the top of the pack anyway. His voice is so contagious you’ll have to see for yourself. That’s all there is to it.

“Don’t Look Back(ft. Jerrod Brunemeier)” stands out as the most different of the four tracks. It fairs fine as a song and everything, but it carries a dirtier sound, almost reaching into the punk-zone. But the sound is a little too big to call it that. There’s no country traces to be found here though, let’s put it that way. I do like it, but it’s the least inspiring track. But don’t get me wrong, it still rocks to the max with the rest of them. No worries, it’s just doesn’t grab me like the others do. I did like the use of keyboards which challenges everything about its punk-ish factor.

The most interesting and layered song is the closing number, “Sorrys and Goodbyes” and it is an epic piece of ear candy that draws you in with a minimum of effort to get interested in it. This isn’t a fast-paced tune like any of the others, it’s a magical track that paces you and delivers the prize. It’s good to be Steve Meier, but will bring more to the table next time by going all out with enough songs to catapult this talent to the stars. That is the question, because so far he’s made remarkable efforts to prove he can reach a higher level of existence in the current musical landscape. It leaves you wondering much about it.

I-TUNES: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/sorrys-and-goodbyes-ep/id1225416316

Mike Tabor

Alfredo Dias Gomes – A Tribute to Don Alias

REVERBNATION: https://www.reverbnation.com/996002/album/170663

Born in Rio de Janeiro, Alfredo Dias Gomes first started playing instrumental music professionally when he was 18, playing at Hermeto Pascoal’s band. He recorded the album Cérebro Magnético and performed countless shows, with highlights at the II São Paulo Jazz Festival and Rio Monterrey Festival. Alfredo has played and recorded with several important instrumental musicians. Tribute a Don Alias is his seventh solo album. His full discography dates clear back to 1985 including six previous titles, all which qualify him and then some for the task of taking on the legendary work of Don Alias.

It’s hard to know what you’re going to get unless you’re used to an artist, especially if they’re playing the music of someone you don’t even know. It’s best to hear it chronologically, but in the case of some they don’t have that opportunity. If not, consider a release like this one as an introduction to Don Alias. You’ll find that it’s done with complete faith to the original if you’re a fan of it as well. You will also want to go back and listen to more of both if you’re new to them. You get the best of both worlds just like any good tribute is made of. It puts you onto one or both-of the artists at hand, and whoever else is playing on it. These renditions all feature Windor Santiago, as well as a fine ensemble backing Alfredo Dias Gomes. They play together like magic on every note of this CD. “Georgia O” begins the set with a subtle approach compared to some of the rest of the chosen tracks, but it does pick up enough to pump you into the next track. It’s “Sweetie-Pie” that really gets the show on the road. No turning back after that if you like jazz, but you likely do if you get wind of this album or you keep up with Gomes’ music in general. It comes recommended for the musicianship put into their interpretation of the songs.

It has always been a challenge describing jazz music because the song can go anywhere, there are no rules. And they even go outside some of the patterns to distinguish their own sound without cheapening the originals any. That is just one reason to give everyone high marks for putting in grand efforts. “Samba De Negro” proves it and so does the follow-up efforts on “Creepin’” with everything they’ve got behind it. This isn’t a pedestrian record, nor is it an overly smooth production. It goes in enormously satisfying directions. And that’s saying the least, it shouldn’t fall on deaf ears, especially jazz ones. “Uncle Jemima” is one of the mellower pieces but also one of the best studio performances by the entire ensemble. They display so much heart and soul on this you forget it’s even a song. It just cooks along so warmly it’s like floating on a breeze of notes. “Vaya Mulotto” boils the temperature even hotter, showcasing some of their tightest playing on offer. “On The Foot Peg” answers back with a mid-tempo vibe that keeps the interest high enough to stay for the closing and most spectacular part of the tribute. The “Solo” which speaks for everything, and Alfredo Dias Gomes himself, as he pays respect to his hero.

MP3RED: https://mp3red.me/album/5787197/tribute-to-don-alias.html

Mike Tabor

Jeff Hartman – Legacy

ALL MUSIC: http://www.allmusic.com/album/legacy-mw0003095449

Jeff Hartman has been writing and performing original songs since 1980. He is the owner of Screaming Wife Productions, LLC and has been a member of the Recording Academy for 15 years. He is an internationally recognized songwriter and recording artist and has worked with Grammy- nominated writers and artists. Jeff lives with his wife Paula at the South Jersey shore, in Margate, NJ. He loves to write for singers of all ages and recently released his new album, Legacy, with its smooth jazz and soulfully tasting adult contemporary songs. Legacy can be found at CD Baby, along with his first release, Mansfield.

Adult contemporary can swing numerous ways depending on the artists’ perspective. It can get skewed like any other genre, and this album almost goes from that to pop, to jazz, to rock and even a clear inflection of the blues. It hops around within the mold, so to speak. If it stayed to just adult contemporary the songs wouldn’t vary so much as whole works and be laced throughout them instead. Jeff Hartman is beyond just one category and that’s the first impression you get when you hear everything it has to offer. And the production is second to none, which never hurts.

Legacy begins with “Running Back To Me” and it’s not the best track but it’s still a good opener, and much to tell about what’s to come in some ways, some ways not. The first thing that comes to mind is blues because it starts out that way, but then it cools out into some jazzier factors. The lyrics are killer, and the whole thing just works even though there are better tracks to talk about. It features a self-call and response vocal in the chorus and it’s the best thing about the song. It’s just an overall mature and appealing opener. It reminds of bands like The Crusaders, if you’re familiar.

“Or Nothing At All” is pretty-good too, but falls flat compared to the former. It doesn’t bring out the best in what’s to be heard here. Save time for other tracks like “Kookitykoo” and you’ll be in the zone with him. This is one of the better songs but there are a lot of other great ones to choose from. “Overtime” is so contagious it’s worth the price of admission. This is where adult contemporary mostly meets with pop, but there’s flavors of R&B too, it’s an assortment of style in one, and you can’t beat it with s stick if you’re already into the album itself. It’s great stuff all the way, like it or not. There’s a quality that makes it.

“Papas Lullaby” is an epic effort to make a classic without overdoing it. The tracks being mentioned are the cream of the entire crop, and every one of them contend for the best notes altogether. He even takes on the evil forces of war with “The Peace Song” which should be heard all over the world, it’s another quality tune that checks out in every department. This is as superb as anything on the record. “Maybe Eyes” and “Story Of Your Life” are two other tracks that contain the fire to be heard, with Spanish guitar parts and some chilling vocals that prove his singing prowess nearly perfect. Hear it for yourself, it comes recommended.

SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/album/5yNlQU8mz9u9zoORvPjCBo

Mike Tabor

The Sighs – Wait On Another Day

URL: http://www.thesighsmusic.com/band.html

This third full length album “Wait On Another Day” by Massachusetts based The Sighs are sure to one day be remembered as one of the classic good timing Alternative and Pop Rock CD’s of recent time. It’s pure Classic Rock magic the way it used to be, full of cautionary tales, and a passion for hope and love.

All of this describes The Sighs, but who are The Sighs anyway? They are a band made up of incredible musicians and songwriters who draws on life experiences from both the interior and exterior vantage point.” Their narrative, often carefree and cheesy lyrics and sincere performances offer an unobstructed view into the heart of a band that embraces each moment, both individually and as a group. From the first seconds of Track 1” It’s Real” to the final moments of “Think About Soul”, Wait On Another Day hits on all cylinders with a fun musical landscape full of power, some heavy riffs and often happy go luck overtones. One thing that impressed me the most about this album/band is the sheer impassioned throwback 60s and 90s respective rock vibes one gets. There’s an Alternative Rock ambience that really sucks in the listener. The CD is professional grade any way you look at it – very professional. The instrumentation and tones give you that genuine feel of good music and writing from a generation ago. It also has a solid feel reminiscent -as I mentioned earlier- of Classic Rock music popular in the early 60s/70s as well. These lads remind me of icons such as The Beach Boys and Brian Wilson, The Beatles, Gin Blossoms. All members in this band are solid musically. Kudos goes out to the amazing songwriting. I always said you can sell what you don’t truly believe, Here The Sighs capture Lighting in a Bottle that will ring true not only for older more experienced listeners but new ones as well.

My favorite tracks: “Love From Lisa” and “Socialite”.

“Thinking About Soul” wraps up a well rounded 11 track set that delivers an interesting cross section of classic Hard Rock, and Active Rock. This makes it accessible to modern day listeners as well. How is this possible? Only an experienced group of talented artists armed with an honest, genuine, sincere approach can pull it off.

YOU TUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-76rK0TTyc

Meaghan Lee