Vodka doesn’t often review covers. It’s a decision I made early on. I’m generally looking for original music from artists. To break through and be given the once-over, a cover must be made to be the artist’s very own. Enter You’re My Best Friend (seen/heard here), covered by one of Vodka’s favorite duos, Flagship Romance, and originally released by Queen on their hugely successful fourth studio LP, Night At The Opera back in 1975. Flagship Romance…
Read MoreLisa Wright’s Ready Now (seen/heard here) doesn’t break much new ground where musical styles are concerned but it is a great example of Lisa’s beautiful voice, and sometimes (as in this case) that’s enough. She has a naturally resonating voice that is immediately accessible. There’s not too much out there from this amazing singer-songwriter yet, but you can listen to a few of her tracks on Spotify and get a feel for where she’s been and where she’s going musically. Ready Now was…
Read MoreIf I had to guess, I’d say that Lia Rye is still searching for a magic formula for her all-genre music. Fever Dream (seen/heard here) is the title track from her new EP and it is fascinating! The EP itself doesn’t feel cohesive as far as musical sound is concerned, but the use of multi MIDI melodies that juxtapose against each other (such as those in Fever Dream) playing minor-key against major-key, provide for a unique sound and drama that kept Vodka listening to…
Read MoreVodka likes to expose all sorts of music, but honestly, it usually isn’t straight-up instrumental. There are several exceptions, Lydian Collective, Snarky Puppy, etc., but for the most part, the music that I cover here has lyrics. That seems to be shifting a bit over time. Perhaps because the quality of instrumental music itself has increased, or perhaps I’m just noticing it more these days. Enter Daniel Sherrill, whose traditional banjo compositions are beautiful and breathtaking. Fortune, (seen/heard here) is from Sherrill’s…
Read MoreVodka did a double-take as soon as the vocal kicked in. That voice is hauntingly familiar, yet not familiar. It’s like, but not quite like, Nick Drake. Even compositionally, Chris Brain has a Nick Drake-ish take on music creation and sound. Don’t get me wrong: Chris is 100% original. I’m sure many of you have never heard of Nick Drake. It’s unfair to bring him up without discussing him just a bit, but just know this review is not for…
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