Song Review- Eliot Bronson “Arrive” off the upcoming album Arrive

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A man in a light blue button down, collared shirt standing in an interior doorway.

Artist photo by Jenna Shea Mobley / album artwork photo by Andrew Thomas Lee – graphic design by Keith Brogdon at Thinking Out Loud Design

I got the chance to check this out courtesy of Erin at Dreamspider Publicity (thank you!) and was interested right away as Bronson is a new artist to me.   After listening to this track I checked out other work by him (he has six prior albums and some other singles out) and was impressed.  His 2017 album James is one I would recommend along with a pretty raw and heartfelt song (“World Is Watching”) that he released in 2022 in support of Ukraine relief work.  

This new release is one of those songs that blooms out from a fairly simple start.  It has this great warm feeling to it right from the first hit of the guitar strings at the beginning.  Bronson’s vocal cuts in with about the same amount of warmth but it also has a bit of sadness or maybe melancholy mixed into it.  You coast along for a bit on those sounds and then a soft kick drum starts in and gives a little urgency to the music, kind of a “headed toward something” groove.  Around the 1:00 minute mark the composition really opens up, adding some atmosphere that fits in perfectly with the lyrics at that point in the song.  There are some short but nice melody moments in there also along with an interesting, wavering violin accompaniment.  This track, which I took as a plea to turn off your devices and check out the world around you, gave me a pretty positive vibe by the end.  

Vote here to nominate this for my best of 2026 list: 

Musicians on this are: Eliot Bronson (acoustic guitar, vocals), Oliver Wood (harmony vocals), John Mailander (violin),  Will Robertson (electric bass), Mark Raudabaugh (drums), and Bret Hartley (electric guitar).

Streaming link:

https://push.fm/fl/arrivesingle

The music is released via New Pain Records. I did not see any pre-order links for the album out yet so patience until then 🙂  It is due to drop November 6th.

Please let me know your opinion in the comment section below

Interested in more info on this Artist?

https://www.eliotbronson.com

https://www.instagram.com/eliotbronson

Just a few ideas if you have the time:  purchase music when you can as streaming does not pay much even times a thousand, support and get to know your local community, live well and be a good neighbor 🙂 

Song Review- Hyper Minds “Sink or Swim” 

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Four casually dressed men standing in front of a gate an heavily graffitied wall.

Band photo by Angel Alcala

This being a new band to me (thank you Mike at Earshot Media!) I was wondering what to expect and ended up being pretty impressed.  The track comes in on a little jangly high-hat offset by a booming, distorted bass and then jumps off into a fast, infectious groove driven onward by a very prevalent drum line.  The vocals are delivered at a breakneck pace but still manage to deliver a comprehensible message (which is not always true of the lighting vocal attack of some bands).  There is a nice little step-down bridge piece around 1:25 which works nicely to offset the speed of the rest of the track but gives up nothing in volume.   This was a really fun song to listen to and put a little jump in my step for awhile.  I will be standing by for their full album to drop which is coming but the release date is currently unknown (to me anyway).  They also have three other singles out there  (“Nailbiter,” “M.I.T.M,” and “Nacho”) that you can check out when you have the time.  

Hyper Minds are currently signed to DC-Jam Records distributed by Virgin Music Group.

Vote here to nominate this for my best of 2026 list: 

Musicians on this are: Roland (guitar, vocals), Robert (lead guitar), Juan (bass) and Omar (drums).

Check the video here: 

Streaming link:

Please let me know your opinion in the comment section below

Interested in more info on this Artist?

https://www.instagram.com/hypermindsband

Just a few ideas if you have the time:  purchase music when you can as streaming does not pay much even times a thousand, support and get to know your local community, live well and be a good neighbor 🙂 

Song Review- Time Spent Driving “She’s the One” from the upcoming album Lost Leaves

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Four men around a small fire pit in a rural setting.

Band photo by Rob Cattivera, album art by Jon Cattivera (Sleepless Media)

I first picked up on this Santa Cruz, CA band back in 2016, just a little bit after the release of their album Passed & Presence.  A song on that album, “Weight of the Water” really struck me at the time.  It has this slightly haunting melody line woven through a slow-tempo rhythm section that is kind of of yearning and pleading all at the same time.  It stayed with me after I listened to it and still does today. 

This new single, which is out in advance of the full album release August 21st on Thirty Something Records, opens up at full power with an atmospheric guitar and hard-hitting drums. It has an infectious groove running along throughout accompanied by a clear and strong vocal line.  It stretches out to five minutes in a good way, aided by a subdued and moody bridge midway through the track.  I really enjoyed listening to it and will be checking out the full album very soon. 

Vote here to nominate this for my best of 2026 list: 

Musicians on this are: Derek Pabich (guitar), Kem Gallione (drums), Jon Cattivera (vocals, guitar, keys) and Steven Borella (bass).

Streaming link:

https://found.ee/TSD-shestheone

Pre-save / pre-order 

https://found.ee/tsd_lost_leaves

Please let me know your opinion in the comment section below

Interested in more info on this Artist?

Website link https://timespentdriving.com/

https://www.instagram.com/timespentdriving

Just a few ideas if you have the time:  purchase music when you can as streaming does not pay much even times a thousand, support and get to know your local community, live well and be a good neighbor 🙂 

Song Review- Mad Tab “Stock Itch” from the upcoming album Alas! The Bomb Voyage…

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Four men standing around a classic convertible automobile. The background is dark with low lighting in the foreground.

It was very cool to hear about this single which just dropped Friday courtesy of Innanuttshell Reekordingz.  I had jumped on their prior release (reviewed here) which was a great intro to the band for me and this new track did not disappoint as a follow-up.  

This song cuts in on a nice rhythm bass line which stays fairly prominent throughout and gives a nice, smooth reggae groove to the first forty seconds of music.  It then flashes over into a faster, punk-edged section that packs a nice guitar punch and a hammering drum line.   Those two styles trade back and forth in good order accompanied by a strong vocal that delivers a message that is very relatable to me – as Gram Tab stated in the press release from Earshot Media: 

“‘Stock Itch’ metaphorically draws comparisons between our natural, given rights and the ways we abandon those rights for the convenience of unnatural materialism and codependency,”

I found it to be a very good track – it kind of takes you along on an alternating wave of grooviness and edginess – a nice combo! 

That full album is due out this fall so save up for a purchase if you are feeling the groove.

Vote here to nominate this for my best of 2026 list: 

Musicians on this are: Dave Tab, Gram Tab, Scott Beattie and Rob Wheeler

Check the video here: 

Streaming here:

Please let me know your opinion in the comment section below

Interested in more info on this Artist?

https://www.instagram.com/mad__tab

Prior review links 

Song Review- Mad Tab – “Awake” from the upcoming album Alas! The Bomb Voyage…

Just a few ideas if you have the time:  purchase music when you can as streaming does not pay much even times a thousand, support and get to know your local community, live well and be a good neighbor 🙂 

Song Review- RxGhost – “Subway” from the up coming album Upkeep

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An out of focus color image of four people (three men and one woman) front lit by an orange light and looking toward the viewer.

It was very nice to be able to give this single a listen as I was not familiar with RxGhost before pushing play on “Subway.”  The song comes in on a nicely textured bass which, along with a well appointed drum line, remains the center-point of the arrangement all the way to the end.   Combined they set a stable but kind of dark tone.   Things are not all spookiness and doom though as the lead guitar playing is subtle but very effective in adding a bit of lightness as it rides along that rhythm wave.  There are several different sonic experiences within this track that I found pretty impressive and the lyrics are thought provoking for sure.  

Per the press release from Earshot Media this album is due out sometime in the fall so keep an eye out as it is being released on vinyl and cassette. 

Vote here to nominate this for my best of 2026 list: 

Musicians on this are: Jen Kean (guitar, vocals), Chris Smead (bass), Justin Brooks (drums) and Josh Thomas (vocals, guitar). 

Streaming link:

https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/rxghost/subway

Please let me know your opinion in the comment section below

Interested in more info on this Artist?

https://www.instagram.com/rxghostband

Just a few ideas if you have the time:  purchase music when you can as streaming does not pay much even times a thousand, support and get to know your local community, live well and be a good neighbor 🙂 

Song Review- Katie Knipp – “Santa Cruz Blues” off the upcoming album Live at Theater 5150

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A woman, seated on a reversed chair, looks out toward the viewed.

Katie Knipp is definitely one of my favorite artists and I very unfortunately did not have the opportunity to go to the live event at Theater 5150 where this was recorded.  I did have a couple family members attend though and they were highly impressed with the session and gave it rave reviews.  I have been patiently (well…sort of anyway) waiting for this release and the news that the pre-sale was on had me quickly getting my order placed.  That purchase allowed me to get this one track early and ever since then I have been listening away.  

If you have read my prior reviews (see links below) you already know that “Santa Cruz Blues” is a favorite of mine and originally was on her 2018 album Take It With You.   There is a very tragic and real story behind the song (which you can read about in the bio on her webpage) and you can feel that personal impact in the edginess of the music and the passion in the vocal track.  The opening harmonica is loud and boisterous, cutting sharply through the other instruments each time it rings out.   Even with a dynamic rhythm section and the vibrant accompaniment of the rest of her band that one instrument has always framed the tone of this song for me.  Knipp’s voice, which as always is its own compelling and unique instrument, adds a layer of tension to the soundscape.  This is a strong, energetic live performance of “Santa Cruz Blues” and a great early release to listen to and get psyched up for the remainder of the album.  

Vote here to nominate this for my best of 2026 list: 

Musicians on this are: Katie Knipp (vocals, guitar, piano, harmonica), Neil Campisano (drums), Pancho Tomaselli (bass), Chris Martinez (lead guitar) and Steve Utstein (Wurlitzer, Hammond B3). 

Pre-order here – several options and some cool packages! 

https://katieknipp.bandcamp.com/album/live-at-theater-5150

Please let me know your opinion in the comment section below

Interested in more info on this Artist?

https://katieknipp.com/home

Playlist links 

https://bandcamp.com/jackmesenbourg/playlist/11292025

Prior review links 

Release Alert! Katie Knipp – Dance Me
Song Review- Katie Knipp “Go” (Electro-Funk Remix) 
Song Review- Katie Knipp “Outlaw Doc” from the album Me

Just a few ideas if you have the time:  purchase music when you can as streaming does not pay much even times a thousand, support and get to know your local community, live well and be a good neighbor 🙂 

Album Review- Scott Sean White  – Days Are Long

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A man in a baseball cap is seated and playing an acoustic guitar.

Many thanks to Adam Dawson at Broken Jukebox Media for giving me the opportunity to hear this album.  He has a knack for sending along really great music from artists with whom I am not familiar and this time was no exception.  Days Are Long is an excellent release with some very talented musicians accompanying Scott Sean White on what I would call an introspective musical journey with a foundation in his faith and life experiences.  

The first track is “She’d Be the Bible” which comes in on some light keys and a bouncy rhythm and maintains an upbeat manner and joyful tone throughout the song.   The lyrics are a nice tribute to his wife and her support over his music career.  It gives you some good positive vibes and the guitar solo around 1:45 is pretty cool also.  

I had a few other songs that became favorites over the listening sessions I spent with this album.  “Here to Stay” has a bit of a heavier tone to it and an alternative country feel that includes some well placed stand-up bass action.  There is also harmonica that cuts in to give some extra “back porch anthem” power to the track.  

The fourth song on the album is “Six” and I actually was not an immediate fan but it definitely grew on me.   Part of what changed my mind was listening to the composition and some of the delicate touches of the instrumentation.  It all does a really good job of crafting this musical atmosphere that evokes youth and kid-like energy.  For me this song is about being older and looking back on how maybe you were happier and more joyful as a kid and I think having a musical setting which highlights the youthful side really gives the message more power.  There is some nice fiddle work on this also that really stretches out the background space and gives it room for the music to flow. 

Another great track is “Little Bit of Luck.”  The vocal here is forward and strong and accompanied by some nice electric and steel guitar.   This is one of those numbers that feels hopeful even if the lyrical message does not pertain directly to your life.  The subtle energy of the music and upbeat vocal delivery make it one you can tune in for a listen when you need some encouragement. 

There are ten total songs on Days Are Long and they are all well-crafted and played masterfully by this group of musicians.  Lyrically there are a range of topics but all are centered in real life experiences that are very relatable and relevant.  It was a real pleasure to be able to listen to this album and I will be coming back to it often.  

Vote here to nominate this for my best of 2026 list: 

Other musicians on this are: Brian Fullen (drums), Justin Ostrander (electric guitar), Brian Douglas Phillips (steel guitar), Josh Matheny (dobro, lap steel), Byron House (upright bass), Ross Holmes (fiddle), Carole Rabinowitz (cello), Alex Wright (piano, B3 organ), Dave Brainard (bass, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, piano, keyboards, accordion, mandolin, percussion and background vocals).  Brainard is also the producer on this album.  Other background vocals by: Dani Flowers, Helene Cronin, Susan Gibson and Victoria Rudd.  

Streaming link:

I could not find a place to order a physical copy of this on his website but maybe that will be up soon! 

Please let me know your opinion in the comment section below

Interested in more info on this Artist?

https://www.scottseanwhite.com

https://www.instagram.com/scottseanwhite

Just a few ideas if you have the time:  purchase music when you can as streaming does not pay much even times a thousand, support and get to know your local community, live well and be a good neighbor 🙂 

Song Review-Tornado Lobster Killer – “Rhya” off the upcoming album Lobsteria

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Four men stand in front of musical equipment on a stage.

cover artwork by Nora and Croma

This is a new band to me and it is always cool to hear good music coming from other countries.  This group is out of Italy and they have a back catalog that I checked out on Bandcamp of one album and four singles.  Their 2022 self-titled LP is a nice ten song set with my favorite being “Rainy Days.”  It has the rough edges and raw feeling of an early release while showing a good musical foundation.  

You can hear the growth, both in song composition and overall sound, that this group has gone through in these past four years when you hit play on “Rhya.”  It comes out loud and fast with a heavy drum presence framed by a groovy guitar riff.   The song keeps that rhythm forward mix going all the way through with the vocals in a lighter tone that give a little lift to the overall feel.   The track gave me kind of a punchy but dark feeling and the lyrics are meaningful and worth a little reflection.  I enjoyed this song and will be interested to hear what mix of sounds they offer up on the new album.  

Vote here to nominate this for my best of 2026 list: 

Streaming link:

https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/tornadolobsterkiller/rhya

Cool video here:

Please let me know your opinion in the comment section below

Just a few ideas if you have the time:  purchase music when you can as streaming does not pay much even times a thousand, support and get to know your local community, live well and be a good neighbor 🙂 

Album Review- Dead Rock West – Honey and Salt

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A black and white photo of a man and a woman standing in the near foreground of the image. Behind them there are scattered bushes along with a hill in the background.

Band photo by Masen Larsen

Just how in the heck did we get to the point where I am writing about this album from 2007?  Well, a few days ago I was on one of my regular tours through Bandcamp, partially scanning items in my feed and also just jumping around looking for new music.  At some point I happened to slam into the 2018  Live at McCabe’s release from this band and it lit up a reminder to me that it had been a long time since I listened to Honey and Salt.  I do not have an exact recollection of when I first heard that LP but I do know it came at a time when I was listening to a lot of very loud and ferocious punk.  That is what made this album stick out so much at the time, both in my musical experience and still now in my memory.  The music on that release is not anywhere near the hard, heavy or noisy spectrum.  It is a unique listening experience; part pop punk, part rock, part rockabilly with pieces of lounge singing and country mixed in.  It might sound like a lot but Dead Rock West blend it all together seamlessly and deliver a truly unique album.  It also takes you through a range of feelings along the way with some moody moments, some upbeat kickers, a couple introspective numbers…a varied and enjoyable ride.  

There are twelve total tracks and my favorites are “Highway One,” “Rocket from the Crypt,”  “Desert Rose” and “Telephone.”  

If you want to step up your listening journey after checking out Honey and Salt that live album mentioned above is excellent as is their 2015 Everly Brothers covers collection It’s Everly Time. There are also a few new singles out on their website along with mention of an upcoming album.  

Vote here to nominate this for my best of 2026 list: 

Dead Rock West are Cindy Wasserman and Frank Lee Drennen.  They play with a collection of very talented musicians but I could not get a definitive list of the other talent on Honey and Salt. I do believe that it included:  David Carpenter (bass), Phil Parlapiano (organ, mandolin) and Bryan Head (drums).  

Please let me know your opinion in the comment section below

Interested in more info on this Artist?

https://www.deadrockwest.com

https://deadrockwest.bandcamp.com

Just a few ideas if you have the time:  purchase music when you can as streaming does not pay much even times a thousand, support and get to know your local community, live well and be a good neighbor 🙂