Sharp Vodka readers will remember Hugo Kant (a.k.a., Quentin Le Roux), musician and producer, from the hip-hop flavored alt-rocker Leave Me Alone, featuring California MC LostPoet, posted back in July 2014. About a year ago (May 2017) Hugo released the Out Of Time long-player, which features twelve cohesive tracks and a great number of musical styles and genres. Hip-hop, particularly trip-hop, plays defining roles in the underlying sounds. The long-player is decidedly thematic in nature; Perhaps not a true concept album, as lyrically there is little here aside from…
Read MoreI have been a fan of Laura Veirs from the first time I heard her on CMJ New Music Monthly’s 2005 sampler CD with the tune Galaxies. She has a captivating compositional style that keeps you listening. That hasn’t changed after 20 years of making great alternative flavored pop music. Veirs has just released her 10th solo long-player, The Lookout (April 2018), from which Everybody Needs You (seen/heard here) comes. Laura Veirs has been uncompromising in being true to her musical visions, regardless of remaining unknown to many after…
Read MoreMoira Smiley is a singer and composer who writes folk songs that transcend the definitions of “folk” styles. She is a socially conscious painter of words and melodies, a weaver of intricate rhythms, voices, and refrains. Her long-player, Unzip The Horizon (April 2018) is nothing short of amazing on every level! Wiseman (seen/heard here) is a Celtic-flavored love song with a deeper meaning; Refugee is an accounting of the fear and uncertainty surrounding real refugees and has a vague reggae feel; Below is a world flavored anthem on survival and…
Read MoreFunky, fun, and fabulous, The Fearless Flyers prove that lyrics aren’t necessary when you are _this_ good at your instruments! Ace of Aces is from the band’s March 23, 2018, self-titled six-song debut EP. The band shares composition duties while baritone guitarist and guitarist Cory Wong acts as producer for the group. Laying down the phenomenal beat is Nate Smith who is flat-out perfect on Ace of Aces. The rest of the band made up of Joe Dart on bass and Mark Lettieri (of Snarky Puppy) on baritone…
Read MoreYes, It is yet another post from Courtney Barnett. This time it is the second single from the new long-player, Nameless, Faceless, which is scheduled for release in two days. (May 18, 2018) Need A Little Time is a more introspective look at life and perhaps the most serious single musical offering from Barnett to date, although to say she hasn’t approached serious subjects before would be incorrect (Avant Gardener comes to mind). It could signal a change in direction, or perhaps it’s just a one-off musical…
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