by Richard Andrus | Oct 1, 2021 | albums, review
It’s hard to function after being in an unhealthy situation, but it’s even harder to overcome and embrace your emotions so you can become a better person at the end of the day. Miami-born Spanish singer-songwriter Jacqueline Loor takes listeners through this laborious yet rewarding journey on her debut album, Show Them, due to release this Friday. In response to seeing her sister endure a toxic relationship and eventually gaining the courage to leave her partner, the mother of two wrote this collection of empowering songs to inspire others to thrive and do the same.
At the beginning of the album, Loor recognizes how her relationship is in shambles and reminisces how it used to be. Over time, she realizes how her significant other is only a distant echo of who they once were until she cuts them off from her life and finally gets the opportunity to exhale without them breathing down her back. This alone time allows her to find her footing and take the reigns of her life back, so she can show the world how she can soar and carry on without her former lover.
Although she just started singing several years ago, at the age of 36, Loor’s commanding vocals and intricate, vulnerable lyricism shine throughout, ultimately sounding like an intriguing blend of the cinematic melancholia of Lana Del Rey and the ecstatic optimism of Sara Bareilles. With that in mind, if someone told me that some of these songs were from a musical on Broadway, I’d probably take their word for it.
All in all, this project is remarkable, as it aims to empower listeners worldwide to escape the darkness and discover the light inside themselves.
Loors’ passion for performing is ever-increasing, as seen by how the singer-songwriter self-produced one song on the album, “I Broke My Heart,” and has been releasing a variety of songs sung entirely in Spanish as well.
If this is her first comprehensive venture into the music industry, I’m excited to see what she has in store for the years to come.
by Meredith Schneider | Apr 30, 2021 | albums, review, wolf tracks
One of our favorite singer/songwriter extraordinaires – alt-folk artist EVVAN – has released a dreamy new 5-track EP, Home, and we’re certain it warrants a listen from music lovers of all genres. Never have we felt so much attitude without a hard blues influence in a folk track as we did with the initial track “Wolf.” (Wolf tracks are our favorite though. ;))
Second track “I’m Not Done Yet” is delivered with the fervor you expect from someone who is fully prepared for the next chapter of their lives. “So many times in my life I’ve heard the exact phrases I wrote in the song from friends who’ve experienced the same, from people who I thought were friends and didn’t accept me, from absolute strangers on the street who noticed I was different,” says EVVAN. “It is exhausting, and while there are times I feel beaten down and without hope, I remember this is who I am, and I should be proud of that.”
A track born from the emotions around wanting to come out, Evvan carries intense emotion with each word delivered, creating a beautiful ballad that feels like a torch held by and for all of those who feel other at times. If nothing else, this track is a testament to the artful soul of its creator.
“Hurricane” comes at a more steady clip, as EVVAN details a tumultuous relationship situation. “Falling Over You” speaks to a similar relationship, as the thoughts early in a relationship take over and confuse the hell out of our protagonist. Undoubtedly, this is a highly relatable track for the listeners. It’s also got a beautiful cadence that is absolutely captivating.
The title track rounds out this new release, more simplistic instrumentally than its predecessors, just as impactful. It really is the most freeing way to end the collection. If you have the opportunity, we highly suggest listening to the work in its entirety – as a full and honest adventure – below.
by Meredith Schneider | Apr 2, 2021 | albums, review, wolf tracks
Georgian-born American singer-songwriter NAINNOH hit the ground running with her self-titled full-length release this week. The 11-track collection boasts endearing, psychedelic sounds led by sublime vocals. Her accent alone seems to lend itself to the psychedelic feel, while introspective lyrics and beautiful instrumentals interweave for a truly transcendent experience.
While the pace of most tracks in this collection are slow, calculated yet somehow organic. At times, you will find yourself mesmerized by the cadence of the track. In other instances, you will be completely enamored by the way a sound or word is annunciated, as in tracks like “Water.” “Colors,” “Threads,” and “Break Apart” are the louder, faster track options to check out.
This is the perfect soundtrack to your next full moon circle or stargazing experience. Check it out in its entirety below!
by Meredith Schneider | Mar 25, 2021 | albums, review
For a rip-roarin’ good time, country singer/songwriter Charlie Treat’s new album is the perfect answer to your prayers. Beginning with the amped-up energy of “I Ain’t Gonna Be The One To Do It,” he finds a way to lure the audience in with wit and a bite of nostalgia in the instrumentals. Even the slow down of pace with the second track “Drink With Me” holds lengthy, rhythmic lines, with (what appears to me to be) clear nods to The Black Crowes. (“Hard To Handle,” specifically, for those of you asking. And yes, it did take me calling the insanely talented music journalist Elizabeth Schneider to pinpoint the exact sound. Kudos to her.) Just those two tracks will have your mind spinning, but there are ten more inspired songs left to enjoy past that with this new release.
“The Two Best People” really brings the energy down, while singing of “bringing each other down.” Bluesy, beautiful energy to launch you into a light, airy “Tune As Pretty As You.” “Steamshovel Blues” brings the pace up again, but “So Much Better” lulls us back into that slow, glittering, 70’s sound. “Rain Again” comes at you with an edge off the bat, with some quick bongos and even quicker lyrics.
“Drive My Blues Away” is the most melancholic track we have yet to experience on this collection. The vocals seem very inspired, at times Springsteen, and at others Steven Tyler. The piano and whirring guitar solo make the whole thing feel like it could have been recorded in the 90s.
Thank goodness “Dollar For Dollar” brings the pace back up, as the subject matter isn’t entirely something to celebrate. However, the idea of rallying for the working man is something we can all relate to, especially after the trials the last year has presented us with. “Dancing At The Bar (The Quarantine Song)” starts out with glittering synth, and honestly we could see this track being performed alongside anything by ABBA. (Can you hear it?) “Candi” plays with dissonance before the first vocals hit, making it feel almost calmer as the lyrics set in. The whole album is rounded out quite well with “Biggest Fool,” which somehow blendsseveral of the aforementioned genres into one song. (Is that sitar? Are we in a 70’s music video? Where did that trumpet come from?)
One thing is for certain. Charlie Treat has chops. His ability to write lyrics that somehow perfectly complement each instrumental, creating new sounds that simultaneously pay homage to genre-spanning predecessors, is actually quite unique and very appreciated. The Comet should be approached as an adventure and a very appreciated leap into nostalgia.
The Comet is out on March 26.
by Meredith Schneider | Mar 4, 2021 | albums, review
Right now, nostalgia comes in waves. Enjoying a song from our past, Re-discovering a snack we used to love. Engaging in re-releases with new traits, flipping through memory books, and digging through the past. Memories can be healing, especially in today’s health and political climate, and the memory of a live performance can be fleeting.
Singer-songwriter Jen Grinels plays on our nostalgic hearts with the release of her Live Volume 1 full-length, recorded over three nights in early 2019 at The Music Box in Cleveland, OH, Rams Head Onstage in Annapolis, MD, and Avalon Theater in Easton, MD. The live music experience, something we haven’t been able to indulge in for an entire year, encapsulated in one gorgeous collection.
The light echoes from the sound bouncing off the walls of each venue, the magical eccentricities that live music brings with it. From the first mellow track “I Know Your Heart” through the soulful “Don’t Wanna Be Happy” and “Misery,” to the slow ballad-like presentation of “The Feeling,” Grinels powerfully champions multi-genre entertainment. And she doesn’t stop there, as “Can’t Stay Here” has roots in country with a little grunge flare. The sheer feeling (ha!) that rushes over you while playing this album gives you chills, as you imagine being at a live event in the future, singing into the open night air on a gorgeous evening.
That’s what this collection feels like. Live Volume 1 provides a little bit of hope at the end of this crazy pandemic tunnel. And doesn’t that just feel good right now?
by Meredith Schneider | Feb 26, 2021 | albums, review
Our favorite botanist Mike McFadden (vocals) and his incredible bandmates are releasing their full-length in three parts. Of the project, he admitted: “We had this patchwork of songs that had never quite fit on other projects and when we looked at them all together, we realized that the songs told a story.” This is Part One of An Album Called Animal Years is the first installment, and was just released.
Comprised of five tracks, it truly ignites magic in the air as it picks up pace, McFadden’s vocal control and manipulation something otherworldly from the very first notes, 7 seconds into the first track “What I’m Fighting For.” And relatable from that very moment as well, with the first line “I’ve been so lost in the world that I used to know” something that pretty much anyone can understand, especially post-pandemic life. This song has the energy of an anthem, and that feels right for now.
“Let You In” is definitely a low-key country ballad that teeters on theatrical in a captivating way, while “Talkin’ To You” is a more hard-hitting love song. There is a bit of an attitude to the instrumentation in the track, the true twine holding each piece together residing in the soulful vocals provided by three-part harmony and admirable vocal range. So much talent in one collection of music, it’s almost not fair.
“Haines St. Station” slows everything down to the most bluesy, beautiful pace we have heard in quite a while. A song that discusses boundaries, insecurities, and doubts in an open environment, it feels a bit cathartic to enjoy this track in particular. And then the trio brings it home with a very inspiring track, upbeat and quite sticky sweet “Nobody Can Stop Me.” We’re fans, and we’re going to keep that one in our back pocket for the strange moments when we stumble. The energy is invigorating.
by Sabrina Thurber | Feb 12, 2021 | albums, review, wolf tracks
Acclaimed piano virtuoso, Rob Kovacs, illustrates his talents in his newest endeavor: Let Go. The 9 track album is emotional, momentous, and provides a raw demonstration of life’s ups and downs.
Having already been named “Best Pianist/Keyboardist” by the Cleveland Free Times, Kovacs is no stranger to the spotlight. Adding to his repertoire, the Cleveland native was the first pianist in history to perform both parts of Steve Reich’s Piano Phase live. I encourage you to look up the impressive feat if you wish to be amazed by the human capacity.
Let Go tells the story of one relationship from beginning to end, in chronological order. Having worked on the concept album for over a decade, Kovacs was sure to not leave anything out. “Phade” kicks off the album similarly to how many relationships often do; peacefully and hopeful. As time goes on however, and the tracks progress, heavier weight is involved. “Here in the Future” hints at traces of anxiety, and in “Should-Haves” regret becomes clear.
29 minutes and 55 seconds later, the listener has finished a musical three-course meal. From excitement, to the darker spaces of the world and back to a place of acceptance – one is left with a new perspective, as well as a scar. We only have Rob Kovacs to thank for all of that.
by Tiffany Czech | Dec 23, 2020 | albums, review
In his return to performing, Glenn Morrow put together a group of talented musicians to form a band, Glenn Morrow’s Cry for Help. Out of that band comes a new album, 2. For anybody yearning for more rock and roll in their lives, 2 is the perfect place to turn. Filled to the brim with some answers to tough life predicaments and a way to move forward, the album is the perfect opportunity to just sit and be cozy while enjoying important stories and comforting melodies.
A major theme throughout the album that creates this heartwarming feeling is simply the idea of moving forward. Tracks like “Soul Hold” and “The Sun the Moon the Scars” are warm reminders that bad times don’t always have to stay that way. The latter song provides a jazz-esque sound, making it one of the most memorable tracks. There are also songs that fall more on the side of yearning for more, namely “Come Back”, “Watch it Burn” and “Other Side of the Dream”. The group provides layers of emotion that truly represent what life can be like, sorrow mixed with some fun, making it a sobering and comforting experience.
by Tiffany Czech | Dec 11, 2020 | albums, review
When tragedy strikes, artists often turn to melodies in an attempt to heal the pain. It was no different for Nathaniel Bellows, who turned to writing to cope with the death of his father. The result is his forthcoming album Three. This triumphant masterpiece starts off with “In the Wool”, an address of self-image and finding oneself amidst the chaos of the world. The heart stopping “Haul Me In” speaks of the need to feel weightless in treacherous waters. The breathtaking percussion creates the illusion that we, the listeners, are in the danger that he speaks of. “Split Lip” invites you to step into the feeling of being hopeful despite being surrounded by reasons to be hopeless. It closes out with “Move Away”, which weighs the pros and cons of leaving a place that has provided you both happiness and sorrow throughout his life. Here, Bellows reveals his intentions to, one way or another, look to the future.
Three is a raw and emotional record that sees every track masterfully tackling the struggle of falling into a pit and trying to find a way into the light, sometimes by hoping for a shoulder to lean on. It reflects a vulnerability that resonates with the listener and provides moments of solace and peace.
