The Spiders-‘Another Miles’

The Spiders - Another Mile

YOU TUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nJcLro5xkk

The Sріdеrѕ "Another Mіlе" іѕ the nеw ѕіnglе and fоllоw uр to оur hit "Elесtіоn Day." Thіѕ music іѕ nоt only about runnіng, іtѕ about the rеѕіlіеnсе аnd fight that іѕ іn еvеrуоnе of us tо асhіеvе оur gоаlѕ.

"Anоthеr Mіlе" wаѕ rесоrdеd аt Pоrtrаіt Rесоrdіng Studіоѕ іn Pоmрtоn Plаіnѕ, NJ.  The single wаѕ engineered bу John Fеrrаrа & Mаѕtеrеd by Chrіѕ Bаdаmі. The Spiders are lеd bу Lеаd Guіtаrіѕt аnd Vocalist, Nісk DeStefano. Nісk hаѕ реrfоrmеd аll over Nоrth Amеrіса, frоm the Stоnе Pony in Nеw Jеrѕеу to thе Trоubаdоur іn Los Angеlеѕ.

Thе Spiders bаnd includes John Hеndеrѕоn оn Bass аnd Nеѕtоr Arсеlау оn Drums, bоth lоngtіmе veterans оf thе NJ сlub сіrсuіt, thіѕ power trio has ѕреnt thе lаѕt fеw уеаrѕ dеvеlоріng a vеrу loyal fоllоwіng, and thеу hope wіth thе rеlеаѕе оf thеіr роwеrful nеw single "Another Mіlе" thеу wіll get the mаіnѕtrеаm еxроѕurе thеу trulу deserve.

Thе Spiders brіng a very rаw and оrgаnіс rock аnd rоll еnеrgу to the stage thаt fееlѕ vеrу gеnuіnе. Thе trасk hаѕ thе sound of fоlk rосk tо іt іn that you саn рісturе a full band set uр оr еԛuаllу ѕоmеthіng muсh ѕmаllеr, bоth оf whісh would represent thе concept, thе mеlоdіеѕ аnd the riffs effectively. Thе muѕіс has a fаѕt расе tо іt, thеrе’ѕ vеrу lіttlе space bеtwееn vосаl mоmеntѕ, араrt frоm thе humble аnd hugеlу fіttіng guіtаr solo аnd harmonies tоwаrdѕ thе end. Thіѕ аррrоасh wоrkѕ hеrе because thе сhоrd рrоgrеѕѕіоn has ѕuсh a wаrmth and positivity to іt. It аlѕо wоrkѕ bесаuѕе thе rереаtеd іdеа of ‘аnоthеr mile, аnоthеr mіlе’ іѕ rерrеѕеntеd wеll іn the оngоіng, unflіnсhіng rhythm of the ріесе.

 The lеаdіng riff оf thе trасk hаѕ аn indie аnthеm kіnd of vіbе to іt, thіѕ tоо аddѕ to thе mеmоrаblе nаturе оf thе music. The hооk perhaps becomes a lіttlе оvеrbеаrіng on іtѕ оwn as thе trасk fades оut, an аddіtіоnаl lіnе аlоngѕіdе іt mіght have brоught ѕоmе ѕоrt оf respite, but thаt’ѕ оnlу іn respect of it bеіng a recording – іt’ѕ еаѕу to іmаgіnе a live ѕhоw, аѕ mеntіоnеd, and nо doubt аudіеnсеѕ would rеvеl іn thеѕе fіnаl fеw moments and thе track wоuld bе a hugе ѕuссеѕѕ.

 Thе vеrѕеѕ to thе trасk аrе grеаt, vеrу hоnеѕt, аnd vеrу іntіmаtеlу rесоrdеd ѕо аѕ tо add tо that gеnuіnе and accessible vіbе thаt the song consistently offers. Thе ѕtоrуtеllіng is believable and еаѕу tо gеt іntо, аnd thе freshness of thе lуrісѕ іn thе verses соntrаѕtѕ rеаllу well with the high еnеrgу оf thе hооk. Thе ѕесоnd vеrѕе аlѕо асtuаllу соntrаѕtѕ wеll with thе fіrѕt, іn tеrmѕ оf thе ѕwіtсh frоm thе rеflесtіvе truth what іѕ possible – having a positive mіndѕеt, keeping уоur еуе оn thе goal, continuing tо run аnd never lооkіng bасk.

Muѕіс  аrе thе wоndеr оf оur world, wе саn gеt so muсh frоm a muѕіс, whеthеr we lіkе thе wоrdѕ or thе muѕіс. muѕіс саn mеаn ѕо muсh tо uѕ, brіng bасk grеаt mеmоrіеѕ аnd sometimes ѕаd mеmоrіеѕ, they саn bе іnѕріrаtіоnаl, rеlаx оur mіndѕ оr gеt uѕ dаnсіng. Wе аll lоvе dіffеrеnt music іn different wауѕ.

AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0725524LY

Michael Mullins

Swaylex - Raging Rapids

 

Swaylex - Raging Rapids 

YOU TUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKyQkKKElj4 

No more record companies, no more self-appointed gatekeepers. Musicians like Swaylex have become the norm in recent years, rather than odd standouts, thanks to the increasingly willingness of performers to upload their wares to platforms like YouTube in an effort to reach their audience directly. Despite the video presentation, in this case quite unfettered and direct, the music still has to connect. There’s no danger of that with Swaylex’s tunes and this one in particular, “Raging Rapids”, has straight ahead rock muscle that announces itself from the first and never relents. It has excellent construction, however, and never lacks for musicality. Instead, there’s an equal mix of melody and heavy riffing in this track that has the right balance without ever veering too far in either direction. He brings the sensibility of a seasoned musician to this work and it makes it an even more enjoyable musical experience.  
 

You will be forgiven if you don’t think there’s going to be melody based on the song’s first few seconds. Instead, it seems like he’s intent on crafting a bit of music for some movie soundtrack, but just as you grow accustomed to that idea, Swaylex’s music takes a turn into one of its consistent strengths. He can hammer home a riff, driving it deep into listener’s memory, but “Raging Rapids” proves he’s equally adept at marrying that approach to a talent for really putting over some understated melodic virtues. The lead and rhythm guitar sounds have a deep warmth that will lure listeners in and even the intensity of the song never attacks listeners in such a way that they may feel compelled to turn away. There’s certainly a claustrophobic air about the progression and how he plays it, but we are inside an imaginative experience here and his total confidence in how it should unfold wins us over as well. 
 

The bass is rather rudimentary, but it provides great ballast for the drums, rhythm guitar, and lead work to play against. The lead and rhythm tracks are ideally matched and Swaylex creates enough space in the music that allows it to breathe without ever sacrificing any of its intensity and energy. He deserves plaudits for that alone. Moreover, his decision here, like elsewhere, to refrain belaboring his musical points with the audience assures us that he will never risking boring us in an effort to prove his chops. Those are apparent from the beginning. Nor will you ever listen to this performance and wish for a singer. There’s a dramatic edge to the song that will keep you figuratively on the edge of your seat from the beginning and he plays that aspect just right.  This is the sort of series of solid artistic decision making that we associate with experienced musical hands and it’s clear that this young man is something of a prodigy in that regard. “Raging Rapids” will entertain and grab you physically.  

I-TUNES: https://itunes.apple.com/album/id1217953302?ls=1&app=itunes 

Scott Wigley

The Chameleon Project - Funk n Space

 

The Chameleon Project - Funk n Space 

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/events/470379949826821/ 

This is the sort of band that cuts through the dross of the modern music scene and stands out as an example of where the music of the future can lead us. The Chameleon Project’s Funk n Space  brings together a wide array of diverse musical influence into one overarching concoction that, if any justice remains in the musical world of 2017, will see this Toronto quartet elevated to a position of great prominence among musical acts today. There are a couple of remixes added at the album’s conclusion, but the body of the album is an eight song journey gliding its way through jazz grooves, funk, disco, reggae, electronica, and even strong rock strains with confidence of a band far beyond their years. There’s not a single misstep on Funk n Space. It’s an invigorating musical trip from the first while never announcing its presence in a chest beating sort of way. There’s no bravado here, no bluster. Instead, there’s a band who takes on eight songs bursting with understated ambition that never neglect the central mandate of all great music – communicating with an audience. 
 

“Milky Way” is one of the album’s more conventional moments, hinging largely on its melodic virtues to be successful, but it’s a track sure to hook in many listeners from just a few notes alone. It’s the album’s second longest song, but The Chameleon Project are one of those rare units who can extemporize and move over an extended duration without losing their audience. “Steppin’” shows off similar characteristics with their deft recall of the reggae style filtered through the distinctly modern soundscapes that are the bedrock of their musical experience. However, like on the opener, melody is part of that central bedrock as well, but it emerges from the musical arrangement more strongly here than many of the other songs.  The first of their tracks to show a rock influence, “Kraken”, brings the aforementioned style seamlessly together with an evocative soundscape and effects laden guitar lines. It has a stronger imaginative edge than most of the fine creative tunes on Funk n Space . There’s a stronger intensity to this tune than many of the others on the release. 
 

“Bigfoot” has a hammering rhythm section well recorded and hammering its point home time after time with confidence that we normally associate with veteran outfits. Despite the risk-taking and electronic gloss accompanying the song, you can listen closely and discern the skeleton of the basic track beneath. Above nearly all else, The Chameleon Project succeeds because they are solid and accomplished songwriters, a fact borne out time and again during the track listing. The album’s finale “Wako” has a tremendous amount of color coming through during every passage of its six minute plus length  and brings the band’s command of various styles to life without any of them every striking a dischorant contrast with the other. Funk n Space may likely stand, despite how many albums they write and record, as The Chameleon Project’s supreme achievement because of the sense of new pervading its eight tracks, but they are clearly a band with the potential to produce even greater work if fortune remains on their side. 

I-TUNES: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/funk-n-space/id1107925621

Dale Butcher

Round Eye – Monstervision

 

Round Eye – Monstervision 

URL: http://roundeyeband.com/en/

Experimental freak punk with jazz, R&B and an assortment of other genres whipped into one, are what Round Eye are being called. Some journalists are putting them beyond classification while others find them falling not far from the punk tree, if that. The primary genres always come attached with the hard to define sub genres. Although it might be hard to pin point, the music can deserve to be sub categorized for better or worse. That could be where Round Eye stand, but they’re getting places and a different reaction awaits everywhere they play. Monstervision is the CD that brings them out to play again, and does it with a vengeance but also a charm. They break out the laughs in-between these songs in which only a daredevil would attempt in the realms of any punk environment to speak of. The addition of recorded messages from John Bloom who plays one Joe Bob Briggs is not only bizarre, but on the other hand very bold in a good way. It dampens some of the more adult subject matter and puts a welcome spin on the way albums are made. He’s just the right amount of corniness for the sharper cutting songs to properly balance their aggression as they shout to the world from Shanghai to global stages. There is a lot to hash over on Monstervision, as the sights are practically endless, but also obviously current.

Briggs takes the microphone for the controversial opener that really doesn’t get as harsh as it insinuates. He comes in with the Chinese Take-Out Edition of Monstervision to dine on the general subjects whined about today, such as politicians and Chinese culture in America and around the world. This is where it begins and “Commie Blues” establishes game with no hesitation and even though it’s a dark song you know where it’s at and find out where it’s going as the visions come out even more on “Billy” with a lot of mystery and imagination behind it. This is not your mother’s punk, it’s more in the psychobilly vein. And it works or it doesn’t, depending on your viewpoint.

There are a few places where I lost sight, but that’s because they have their own lives and can’t mingle with the others. There is not one song that misses its point, but some hit their targets better than others. With “Pink House” a close call for the cream of the crop, with “Hey Dudes” and “Curami” holding just as much attention on the bench. But knowing how singles go, they could be just as off the bench as they are on. It’s a question for their label, Sudden Death, but an observation worth sharing. It all matters whether or not you like longer, deeper cuts or the shorter and sweeter variety or a mix of the two. I find them on the upside. They lead to Briggs reminding that the Drive-In will never die. And the horns go berserk on the homecoming song, “Nest” with the usual creature comforts carried on about in the lyrics, but the vocals never outweigh the horns on this energetic little diamond in the rough. And Briggs takes an exit with some more campy wit, and the closer hits the final homer run with “Crinkle” bombarding the senses with every ounce of emotion Round Eye put into their music. It’s more than a monster, it is a creature you must to hear and forget about explaining. That is why it comes recommended and so does the band, to anyone looking for a colossal punk release.

10/10  

DOUBAN: https://site.douban.com/roundeye/

Terry Smith 

Jonathan Cavier - Blue Room

 

Jonathan Cavier releases Blue Room 

URL: http://caviermusic.com/ 

After five albums and hundreds of shows played throughout the US, Alan Clark has reintroduced himself under the pseudonym Jonathan Cavier. With one solo album, Premier, already under his belt, Cavier further defines his sound on 2017’s 10-song release entitled Blue Room. In addition to his musical endeavors, Cavier is a semi-professional tennis player and a member of the USTA and IFT. Cavier says practicing and playing in tournaments is “the fountain of youth.” This makes him a seasoned veteran even though he’s gone through this transition he’s actually no new comer. 

Blue Room opens its doors with the title track to sooth the ears of his fans and pick up any new ears in the process. This is one of the best tracks on offer among ten that easily compete with one another, all the way. This might not come into instant impression as one of the more shining moments, but it will take more than one trip through the room, so to speak. Only then can you appreciate this for what it is really worth  as it leads the house off. And if it doesn’t sink in, “When You Come Around” should also grow on your senses as well. These are both hypnotically satisfying in different ways. So is “Hollywood” but it goes in another direction with a look down memory road and where success and all its ups and downs come from. It’s a surreal trip if you take it with enough seriousness, and a fluffy little spot on the album to get your groove on. And at this point you can reflect on the artist as well as the material in all its glory. With hots points like “Phoenix” with risen from the ashes story. It’s a spiritual part of the album and works its way very well into a “Far Away” place that takes on a more dramatic flair. This is deeper than anything else on the album, when it comes down to it. But that doesn’t mean it’s the most accessible, as it might sail above heads for its meaningfulness. But “I Believe” probably has just as much of that depth going for it as it keeps the same tempo but gets the Spanish guitar out for an overall spicy, cerebral song. A true soft rocker with a less pop structured vocal. This is the most experimental piece of music on Blue Room, that much is found along with the closing track to be later described. But not before others get in the way, such as the brooding “Somebody Like You” with its lower register vocals that find Cavier in excellent voice. If you like a whispering tone this has it, but it does surface on a few others. It’s very cool and deals with reflecting upon oneself as a freak.

“Right Place” has an island presence, which is always welcome in any romantic setting. Johnathan Cavier not being of the brasher variety of artist, one will come to expect this, as the track clearly exemplifies. It bodes very well with the much different “Someday” though, which is yet another tale of love and romance, but this one from afar, as the story goes. It’s accompanied by more Spanish guitar. By this time, a pot full of great tunes have melted enough to prove that Blue Room was worth putting every effort into. As the built up ending comes crashing into the extraordinary “Edge Of A Singularity” which goes off the map with an stellar instrumental. It ends Blue Room on a top note.

10/10 

SOUNDCLOUD: https://soundcloud.com/jonathancaviermusic 

Kevin Webber

David Starr – The Head and Heart

David Starr – The Head and Heart 

URL: http://davidstarrmusic.com/ 

With Arkansas roots and Colorado wings, David Starr has been making music since the age of 10. He is an Americana singer/songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer with hundreds of live shows and seven releases under his belt both as a solo artist, duo artist and member of the David Starr Band. “The Head and Heart” is the new EP.

 

If you know David Starr from the David Starr Band or not, and you like acoustic driven numbers with great vocals, The Head and Heart will win both over for you. There is no beating the likes of such a producer and Starr is no stranger to John Oates. And together they pull off some beautiful material on this EP with not one bad note on it, which includes a good cover of “California Dreaming” and some smoldering original cuts around it for a serious but also somewhat playful release. It opens with the dramatically inflected “Edge Of The World” by establishing a meaningful vibe, which is laced in the music, as well as the lyrics. But if you’re looking for up-tempo bombast, you won’t find it on this EP.

Having played with the likes of everyone from John Oates to Steve Cropper and others, this is a world class artist, so you get world class writing and playing. When you’ve been around the block, this much it to be expected but perhaps not in every music genre. But this is not an adventure outside the box, with, the exception of the efforts to make the Mamas and Papas proud by putting a twist on it. If that does make you stand up and listen, then the rest is even better but this is no novice attempt either. It has the luxury of succeeding on its own merits. But it takes nothing away from the rest of the set of otherwise wonderful songs.

Another one, aside from that and the lead off track, is “The Head and Heart” itself. With a soul stirring outcry for organization of the heart and minds decisions. It is a heartfelt but mindful song that gets the overall point across that he is ultimately trying to make. These decisions sometimes cannot be reconciled. If you stay on the level they can be balanced, but get off balance and be wrong with yourself. It deals with that and more, but so do all of the subjects on offer, including “Waiting In The Dark” with its slightly more musically energetic moments. It turns out to be one of the strongest tracks, as well as my favorite pick.

But also brought to the party is “I’ve Come For You” with it’s also more upbeat groove. This even starts to rock a bit here and there, to make it even more entertaining, but it keeps that to a minimum throughout. But you just can’t deny the easy listening ability behind this. When you hear it the second time you already feel like you’ve heard it a hundred times. It’s as good as anything else on the whole EP, which is a true mark of its consistency. It leaves you knowing the final track will be good, as long as you’re still listening to what has been described as nothing but good old fashioned music with contemporary passion.

“Dancing With My Pride” brings it back to a simmer as it takes the EP out. It’s a ballad but it cooks not unlike the other tracks, but let’s you know how serious it all is. Nothing heavy-handed, just another lighthearted but very meaningful song. But it even holds its own with anyone who likes good music, it just fits well at the end of some well-crafted enjoyable pieces, so it is yet another compliment to it all. And if David Starr isn’t where he wants to be thus far in his career, he never will be. So, you get the full treatment and that is not always easy without a longer track list to prove it, but it stacks this one up ten-fold. 

 

SOUNDCLOUD: https://soundcloud.com/david-48-1

10/10 

M. Marcinn

That One Eyed Kid - Crash and Burn

 

That One Eyed Kid - Crash and Burn 

PRIMARY URL: http://www.thatoneeyedkid.com/ 

The third EP from Boston headquartered one man band That One Eyed Kid, Crash and Burn, is a delectable five song outing from the “band” mastermind Josh Friedman. Friedman’s talent for using electronic music in close quarters, intimate manner sets him apart from many similar performers. The production stands up to anything from any major – Friedman clearly embarked on this project with a focused idea of what he wanted these songs to sound like and achieves it with shockingly minimal effort. There’s undoubtedly the necessary discipline present to make these songs work, but talent will out and the five cuts on Crash and Burn conclusively prove he is one of the more impressive songwriters working on the indie scene today. His vocals help get all of this already fine material over with even greater ease – there’s something vitally engaging and yet inviting about Friedman’s voice from the first and it’s a quality that never fades. 

It begins with swinging energy on the song “Bright Big Red”. Friedman’s a smart enough writer and performer that he understands exaggerating this energy can take a song into parody or burlesque territory, so “Bright Big Red” deftly straddles the line between too little and too much, erring on the right side throughout. Friedman gives an awesome vocal performance during this song and it helps get the EP off to a fast start. Crash and Burn doesn’t disappoint with its second song “Burn Out Right”. There’s a hard-hitting quality with this song than the beginning number and it experiments much less with things like tempo and changes. Instead, Friedman wants to provoke you both mentally and physically. The effort is a resounding success. He ditches the comparatively laid back vibe of the first two songs in favor of something much wilder and chaotic with the song “Native Advertising”. There’s an influence of golden oldie rock and roll in the song, naturally quite transformed in this modern context, but Friedman is a good enough writer to make those qualities come through in a style all his own. The EP’s use of double tracked and harmony vocals isn’t constant, but Friedman invariably shows an instinct for knowing when and where they can make a meaningful contribution.  

He gets down and funky with the song “No Touching” and doesn’t sound at all out of place attempting to essay this R&B style. There’s some subtle changes in instrumentation that, naturally, accompany such a stab, but he keeps the song well within his electronic music skill set and it produces unusually memorable and faithful results. Crash and Burn closes with the song “Rewind” and it couldn’t be much different than the preceding cut. “Rewind” occupies a bigger stage and doesn’t aspire to the same sort of intimacy while nonetheless pushing the envelope in a more overt way that the previous track never had to. It’s the perfect flourish to end Crash and Burn on and That One Eyed Kid’s conclusion to this EP sets the stage for an undoubtedly brighter future to come.  

SOUNDCLOUD: https://soundcloud.com/thatoneeyedkid/burn-out-right 

Gilbert Mullis