Somewhere between modern jazz and pop, you will find the delightful vocals of Tia Brazda, and the island vacation influenced Daydream, the title track to her sophomore long-player (September 2018). Tia’s phrasings seduce the listener to keep listening, and that is not, as it turns out a bad thing. Listening to Daydream with your eyes closed, makes you think of a smokey little nightclub, with a pop-jazz performer that is yet undiscovered, wowing the small audience. Vodka has a fondness for such performances. As the co-composer to most of the tracks…
Read MoreWith effortless vocals, Andrea von Kampen spins a folk web of intimate pop-influenced musical magic. She has been on the music scene in Lincoln, Nebraska, since at least 2015, when she issued her first EP, Another Day. Her clear, bell-like voice lends instant beauty to her thoughtful lyrics. Portland (seen/heard here) is from Andrea’s just-released (February 2019) debut long-player, Old Country, which contains eight slow to medium tempo stories, six of which were penned by von Kampen. Actually, the unvaried tempo of these tracks is my only complaint, and it’s…
Read MoreVodka has always had a soft spot for close female harmonies and the wonderful three-piece, Lula Wiles, does not disappoint. Steeped in the traditions of folk music, Lula Wiles bandmates, Isa Burke, Eleanor Buckland, and Mali Obomsawin, add just a hint of a more modern indie sound that keeps their music fresh and delightfully accessible while remaining true to the story-telling traditions of folk music. Love Gone Wrong (seen/heard here) is the lead-off track to the band’s sophomore long-player, What Will We Do (January 2019). So what does a…
Read MoreA couple of years ago, Vodka reviewed Belgium-based, Pavlove, and their EP and single, Because Of You. I’ve occasionally gone looking for updates on the band, hoping for a long-player, but I’ve either missed out or failed to report to their Facebook site at the right times as they have released a couple of singles, Give Me All You’ve Got and Keira, since the release of Because Of You. Enter Anything But Cupid (seen/heard here), a single released on Valentine’s day 2019, and a sign that the band continues to expand on love…
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