Year: 2013

Midlake – Antiphon

 More than a year ago, Midlake appeared on this blog, with their 2009 release of Acts Of Man, a haunting tale of forbidden love and betrayal. It’s been several years since Midlake has had a new release but the wait is finally over. Enter the title track for the new long-player, Antiphon (November 2013). Musically and lyrically, Midlake still tend towards the darker underbelly of the human experience, but the music is textural, fluid and infinitely listenable. With melodies that tend toward the minor key, these songs…

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Lily & Madeleine – Come To Me

 Sister folk-popsters Lily & Madeleine made their Vodka debut this year a few months after their critically acclaimed EP The Weight Of The Globe (January 2013) was released and since then, they have garnered air play on forward-thinking radio stations, such as Serious XM radio’s The Loft and others, while tending to an ever growing fan-base. On October 29th, the duo released their debut self-titled long-player and it is more of the same great music. While Globe seemed to focus on a single style-melodic…

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Marijn – Valentino

 This guy has been on my radar for awhile. I’ve checked out some of his songs, and even purchased some digital content. Marijn writes largely dreamy pop music that insinuates itself into your sensibilities. Often lyrically melancholy, his words tell stories of pain, loss or introspection. Here on Sailing South the title song for the 2013 movie, Valentino, you get a little more up-beat taste of Marijn.  You can find plenty of good information on Marijn by visiting his web site, which includes most of…

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Cotton Belly – Greatness

 Enter Cotton Belly, a band with an eye for blues, rock and integration; A band whose talents include transforming standards into their own image and creating innovative tunes of their own; A band deeply steeped, stoked and smoked in fun. Here on Greatness from the band’s second long-player, This Day (October 2013), Cotton Belly removes the stops and looses the jams.  These blues men aren’t from South of the Mason-Dixon line, they make their home in Paris, France. Perhaps that gives their take on…

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Kaz Simmons – For The Love of the Big L

 There have been many times where a singer has flown under the radar (at least my radar) until suddenly making a big name for themselves. I’m hopeful that this is Kaz Simmons time, with the release of the wonderful long-player, Signs (October 2013). For The Love Of Big L is from Signs and highlights the blending of so many styles, vocal jazz, 70’s pop and more. Kaz Simmons loves Brazilian rhythms, and those are here too. Late, the lead…

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