It is perhaps the cruelest of circumstances that the music industry, in general, gave only a brief nod to the passing of Keith Emerson, who as a third of Emerson, Lake and Palmer (ELP), made progressive rock masterpieces in the 1970′s and beyond and influenced many a progressive rock band both during their band’s era and today. As a classically trained keyboardist, Emerson made rock that not only had emotion and energy, but also a real beauty. It is said that Carl Palmer, longtime percussionist of ELP, is planning a tribute to Keith Emerson in June. If you are too young…
Read MoreSinger-songwriter-producer, Scott Warren has a new rock-flavored release, Good Love (February 2016). This pop track, Divisible/Indivisible, is from the Dyed In The Wool long-player (August 2012). Mr. Warren has played a variety of styles of music from pop, to folk, to indie-rock and combines those styles with an eye toward the rockier numbers on Good Love. Scott’s musical history on record goes back to his work with Signal Hill Transmission that included a couple of EP’s and LPs dating back as far as 2002. He currently has three solo released long-players,…
Read MoreDiane Birch is a singer-songwriter-pianist with some nice vocal chops and a back catalog of wonderful music. She has released two long-players, Bible Belt (2009) and Speak A Little Louder (2013), as well as two additional EPs, The Velveteen Age (with The Phenomenal Handclap Band) and iTunes Sessions, both from 2010. Stand Under My Love is from her January 2016 EP, NOUS. Diane evokes emotional undertones with her vocal inflections that add weight to the lyrics she delivers. Her songwriting provides an often melancholy vibe, but has the…
Read MoreAnderson East combines his gravelly voice to rhythm and blues on Learning and what you get is a moving (as in “keeps your feet moving”) horn-filled phenom. Learning is from Anderson’s fourth-coming sophomore long-player, Southern Family, preceded by the wonderful Delilah. It’s been a while since Vodka has been excited about an artist on a major label. Often, it seems that artists get picked up by major labels only to disappear or become less accessible. It’s always a disappointment for me to follow an artist who struggles along making great music,…
Read MoreJoseph is the type of band that Vodka simply loves: Three sisters that sing close harmonies. Cloudline is the lead-off track to the sibling’s debut long-player, Native Dreamer Kin (March 2014). Joseph creates light pop songs with strong melodies and powerful vocals that blend perfectly together. Often haunting (Wind, Come In Close), sometimes choir-like (Tell Me There’s A Garden), and always beautiful, the music that Joseph creates is compelling. You can find out more information about Joseph by heading on up to the band’s website. You can pick up Native Dreamer…
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