The recently released (May 2019) video for Before I Do from Barbra Lica’s latest long-player, You’re Fine (November 2018), is the type of vocal jazz that plays beautifully as a background for any warm afternoons contemplation of relationship commitment. Barbra’s voice is, as always, warm, clear, soothing like a gentle touch. She massages the message into a lullaby that is irresistible. A Toronto-based songwriter, her latest long-player explores the intertwining of American country music and jazz in a way that is very accessible on both counts. On the music…
Read MoreThe Liar (seen/heard here) is from Denver-based Alright Alright, the creative moniker for Seth and China Kent, and their most recent long-player, Nearby (October 2018). Positioned firmly in the indie-folk category, the sum essence of these nine beautifully executed tracks is the stories they tell. If you can’t get that from The Liar, then take a listen to all of the tracks as a cohesive unit and you will feel the force that the stories create. The Kent’s music is power-driven, both instrumentally and lyrically, and I don’t mean that…
Read MoreIf you are ready to dream while awake, then the dreamiest of dream-pop from the band Barrie may be just what you are looking for. Lushly layered pop is the formula for the band’s debut long-player, Happy To Be Here (May 2019) and the five-piece delivers that formula with pure pop genius! As an example, check out Darjeeling from the new long-player (seen/heard here). Throughout the 10 tracks on the new long-player, Barrie, referring to band namesake Lindsay Barrie who wrote all of these tracks and provides lead vocals, plots a course…
Read MoreProgressive rock greats, Big Big Train are poised (at the time of this writing) to release yet another opus in their craft, Grand Tour (May 2019). Alive (seen/heard here), is the type of positive rock anthem that the group hasn’t really made since Make Some Noise over 5 years ago. That said, they have made a great number of fabulous long-players, and Vodka has revisited the band several times since Make Some Noise was reviewed: Wassail (July 2015) Folklore (May 2016) Telling The Bees (April 2017) Meadowland (June 2017) I’m always impressed with…
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