Song Review- JJ Braves- “Fix for a Broken Heart”

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Black and white image of an electric guitar player on stage

Hearing about the release of this single on July 25th my interest was peaked by this part of the press release: 

“JJ Braves is the throwback rock project of LA-based artist Joshua Keever, blending synth-driven hooks, classic rock theatrics, and deeply personal lyricism. Drawing inspiration from the power-chord heroics of Queen and Weezer, the slick pop swagger of Huey Lewis & the News, and even the animated bravado of the Transformers theme song, JJ Braves channels those influences into anthemic, emotionally resonant songs”.

That is an interesting group of influences so I fired it up and was met right away by some grungy guitar tones combined with an 80’s synth groove and some vocal styling {“Ooh, baby do you got somewhere to be tonight”) that fits into that same era.  I gotta say that I had an Outfield flashback…in a good way.   This track does not stay in that lane though which is one of the coolest things about it.  Combining some groovy but varied rhythms, several different guitar tones, well-placed keys and good vocals it feels like a bit of a trip through some vintage musical moments of my life.  This song has a healthy exuberance about it that makes you want to turn it way up and drive down the strip.  

You can check this out via streaming (link below) – and let me know your thoughts about it – music makes for good conversation 🙂 

Braves also has an upcoming full-length album so keep your eyes and ears out 🙂  

And support your locals – community is powerful!

Song Review- Hoist the Colors- “Documentation” from the upcoming album Dear Wanderlust

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Hoist the Colors band members in front of a white warehouse

Well, sometimes you get a press release about a band and suddenly realize you managed to forget about a pretty darn good band somewhere along the way.  This particular moment was inspired by an email from Earshot Media with news about this single being dropped a few weeks ago.  The band name caught me as familiar so I dug into the collection and found a digital song called “Second City” and pressed play.  A boisterous and well-played Irish punk song was the result, good enough that I figured it could not possibly be the only track from Hoist the Colors that I had laying around…but in the end, it was all by its lonesome self.   After checking into it they have a few others out there that are worth your time including Miles To Go Before We Sleep, Mourners and When Daylight Breaks. 

You can tell right from the start of “Documentation” that this group of musicians has grown and expanded their influences since the sound of “Second City.”  A pretty cool guitar riff starts this one off with a melodic bass line joining, slowly building up a little tension before a lively mandolin kicks in.  The fiddle provides just enough bluegrass flavor to set the mood and the vocals are strong (and tell a pretty human and relatable story).  The blending of genres here is sophisticated and very successful.   

You can catch the video for this here: 

Also, their album will drop in October and can be pre-ordered from Hey!Fever Records starting August 30th! 

And if you have the inclination …think about purchasing it if you can as steaming music does not pay well even times a thousand. 

And support your locals – community is powerful!

Song Review- The Last Revel –  “Static” from the album Gone For Good 

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Having been patiently waiting for the release of this album the moment finally arrived last week!   This group has long been a favorite of mine and I definitely consider them as a top Americana / alt-county operation (..and awesome live…check them out if you can as they bring some really good energy to every show:).

I have listened through the entire album several times and there are good songs throughout.  Although I picked “Static” for this review I also really liked “Go On” (a feisty, quick-paced number), “Simple Wheel” (great, punchy rhythm and crafty lyrics) and “Tall Grass” (just a perfect example of how these three musicians can blend their instruments together to create memorable music).  

“Static” has a subtle dreaminess to its tone right from the start, leading off with guitar that is joined after about 30 seconds by a gentle fiddle and soon after by a nice banjo melody line.  The lyrics here tell a familiar story but have some nice turns like, “”Break a day, get fixed at night, you always say we’re doing it right.”  

Musicians on this are:  Vinnie Donatelle (fiddle, vocals), Lee Henke (vocals, guitar) and Ryan Acker (banjo, vocals)

You can check out more of the music and information on the Bandcamp page https://thelastrevel.bandcamp.com/

Remember to support your awesome community 🙂 

And please think about purchasing this song after you listen – streaming music does not pay much even times a thousand…

Let me know you think! 

Song Review- Stay The Course – “Post Traumatic”

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I just head about the early release of this lyric video (available on YouTube of course) via an Earshot Media press announcement and was intrigued by this outtake:  

“Serving as the second single from Red Flag, the song marks a sharp left turn from Stay The Course’s usual mix of melodic breakdowns and punchy hooks. This time, they set aside distortion in favor of acoustic instruments, added string accompaniment courtesy of Meador’s wife and eldest daughter, and handed lead vocal duties to Munn.”

When bands step away from their usual sound I always have respect, regardless of the results, as just taking that action requires some guts and helps keep music fresh for all of us.  The results here are quite good with those aforementioned strings (cello + violin = very cool) really setting a slow, reflective tone.   The vocals are a an interesting mix of pleading and sentimental.  Songs like this sometimes end up feeling fragile but this one retains strength throughout – a good listen with a message. 

Musicians on this are: Colby Munn (vocals, guitar), Kylie Meador (cello), Londyn  Meador (violin), Joseph Meador (backing vocals). 

Check it out on your favorite streaming channel (link below) – and let me know your thoughts about it – music makes for good conversation 🙂   They also have an album coming soon (Red Flag) so keep an eye out. 

https://found.ee/staythecourse_posttraumatic

And if you have the inclination …think about purchasing it if you can as steaming music does not pay well even times a thousand. 

As always – remember to support all your locals – community is powerful! 

Song Review- Mike Ward  –  “Left To Ourselves” from the album The Time That Remains

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A standing man in a red long sleeve shirt facing to the left and playing acoustic guitar.

Having decided that I was in the mood to cruise though some recent Americana / Folk releases I came upon this album from Mike Ward that was just dropped at the beginning of the month.  The twelve songs that I heard were quite remarkable, both in their lyrics / message and composition.  Ward is a straight-forward storyteller with a clear voice and the ability to distill large ideas into heartfelt songs.   I was especially impressed with the hopeful message that he manages to convey even when it is wound up in songs about difficult subjects.  

“Left To Ourselves” comes in on a muted acoustic guitar that is picked up by a nice mandolin melody line.  Those two instruments are prominent throughout and provide a peaceful vibe supported by a subtle piano and some soft percussion that it took me a few minutes to sort out.  There is a nice bridge that kicks the beat up for about twenty seconds before transitioning back again.  This song, which for me has a message of “give your better nature the first chance” is a notable composition and worth a listen.  

Musicians on this are: Mike Ward (acoustic guitar, vocals), Jason Dennie (mandolin), David Roof (percussion and piano).

You can check out more of the music and information on the Bandcamp page https://psychosongs.bandcamp.com/album/the-time-that-remains

Remember to support your local community 🙂 

And please think about purchasing this song after you listen – streaming music does not pay much even times a thousand…

Let me know you think! 

Song Review- KRÖNA- “Take ‘Em All”

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This Caribbean punk group just started a tour in North America and “Take ‘Em All” dropped right before they were heading out.  This is a new group to me and I was impressed by the energy that comes bursting through on the track.  The press release from Earshot Media put it this way: 

“Blending breakneck punk, hardcore fury, and syncopated reggae grooves, KRÖNA brings an unmistakable Dominican flair to the global punk scene.”

PSA: Before you push play on this one brace yourself if you are faint of heart…

Heavy drums and bold, squealing guitars hit right from go and kick you along for about 30 seconds before the strong, defiant vocal roars in.  Other than a rather long fade out at the end, there are no moments of peace and quiet on this track – it rips all the way through.  

It sounds like we can expect another single to drop soon which will be followed later in the year by their debut album Dead Air Diaries.  I have to check these guys out live also as I fully expect that to be quite the event.  

You can give this one a listen here: 

If you go out and give “Take ‘Em All” a listen…think about purchasing it if you can as steaming music does not pay well even times a thousand. 

And support your locals – community is powerful! 

Song Review- Len Price 3 – “Emily’s Shop”

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Ok, so sometimes I do stop the train and just take in a little scenery from a different land.  I have taken this particular stop, parked next to a nice British Pub in my mind, before with The Len Price 3.  That was back around February 2023 when I gave their Ip Dip Do album a go around and was impressed with the sound.  Songs like “Waiting for the Trouble to Come” and “She Came From Out of the Sun” have a kind of dreamy vibe offset by poignant guitar sounds.  On a different side of the coin are songs like “Charlie” which manages an anti-drug message over very loud guitars and a hammering drum beat.   I think some folks put them in the “garage rock” genre, I tend more toward “Brit Power Pop Revival” but I supposed we can argue about that later.   

This track (with a b/w called “I’m a Fake”)  is  a bit of a preview for their upcoming Wicked Cool Records release Misty Medway Magick.  Starting off on a little “Do, Do, Do…” vocals that will give you some nostalgic feelings, “Emily’s Shop” builds up to a nice volume with guitars and bass to the front and a slightly subdued drum in most places.  As they have in the past, The Len Price 3 show us again how much power three instruments & accomplished musicians can bring to the party.  

The Len Price 3 are: Steve Huggins (bass), Glenn Page (guitar & vocals), and Neil Fromow (drums).

You can check this out on streaming here – let me know your thoughts!  

https://orcd.co/lenprice3emily

And if you have the inclination …think about purchasing it if you can as steaming music does not pay well even times a thousand. 

Also – in case you want a cool addition to your vinyl collection they have a limited edition 7” you can pick up here: 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/136031435566?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=hW9BmIpPS_W&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=hW9BmIpPS_W&stype=1&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

And support your locals – community is powerful!

Song Review- Record Thieves- “Cause and Effect”

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When Jim Wilcox left Authority Zero back in 2012 I was definitely disappointed as I was a big fan of his work on the drums for that band.  Songs like “Revolution (off Andiamo) and “Memory Lane” (12:34) are marked by his controlled but still feisty playing.  At the time he left I was not sure (or had missed a memo) on what his next stop might be and was pleasantly surprised when he popped up with Record Thieves.  That was back in 2020 (at least when I found them) and they had just released their strong debut Wasting Time.  Some notable tracks there are “Sacrifice” and “Daily Revolver.”  Currently, the other members of Record Thieves are: Allen White (guitar), Michael Waterhouse (vocals), Chad Gilbert (bass) and Christopher Livesay (guitar).

The vocals from Waterhouse lead off here with a nice distorted guitar riff in the background.  A punchy, thumping drum joins soon after as the lyrics weave a story about trying to break loose from our usual processes and patterns (…”if I could just get out of my own way”).  The bass line here is just a little bit subtle and adds some really interesting texture to the track, kind of a hopeful yet melancholy vibe.  This song is a promising teaser for their upcoming album release which will also be on Thousand Island Records. 

Check it out on your favorite streaming channel (link below) – and let me know your thoughts about it – music makes for good conversation 🙂

https://bfan.link/RT-cause-and-effect

And if you have the inclination …think about purchasing it if you can as steaming music does not pay well even times a thousand. 

And support your locals – community is powerful!