Vodka seldom posts straight-up instrumentals, but there are exceptions, and East from Lydian Collective is an exception well worth the spotlight. East is from their debut long-player Adventure (March 2018), and the band may seem to have burst onto the music scene as some sort of a “where have these musicians been?!” moment. That isn’t the case. The collective made up of Aaron Wheeler (keyboards), Todd Baker (guitar), Ida Hollis (bass), and Sophie Alloway (drums), all have individual success stories before forming Lydian Collective. The composition duties fall generally to Aaron…
Read MoreSister Speak is essentially singer/songwriter, Sherri Anne (vocals/guitar) and an ever-changing group of solid musicians, which at the moment includes Sarven Manguiat (electric guitar) and Avli Avliav (keyboards, Moog bass, and programming). The sound is a delicious blend of indie-pop, folk, and electronica that is immediately pleasing to the ear. The title track of the six-song EP by the same name, The Stand (seen/heard here) is about taking a stand on issues, particularly social issues, but never ends up too preachy or self-important. Sherri Anne’s vocals lend perfect inflection to…
Read MoreI dare you-NO, double-dog dare you, to listen to Edmonton, Alberta’s Jenie Thai without moving! Night On Fire is the title track to Jenie’s September 2018, long-player, and it simply rocks! And that band!! Tight, full, absolute soul-blues masters here, while Jenie, hammers the keyboard into rockin’ blues submission! The LP itself is spot on in every aspect. Dreamers and Lovers was the first single released from the long-player back in June, and it simply oozes smooth. Track two, Sugar, is just right for your tea. I’m not…
Read MoreJefferson Hamer has been making great folk music for a long time now, both as a solo and as a collaborative with other musicians. His new long-player, Alameda (October 2018), is born out of a number of eras in his musical creative process, some dating back as far as 2006. Vagabond (seen/heard here) is one of the newer (2017) compositions among the eight tracks referenced on Alameda. While short in length, as long-players go, it is long on stories and tradition, with a great variance between-song construction and style….
Read MorePortland, Oregon’s Fox And Bones, create indie-folk that is smart and full of surprises. In their second full-length offering in just three years, the duo creates magical images with words and music. Enter Love Me Like A River, from the latest long-player, Better Land (October 2018), and the story of a passionate love demand, with lead vocals here provided by the male half of the duo, Scott Gilmore. Throughout Better Land, lead vocal duties switch up, with magnificent performances by the female half (Sarah Vitort)…
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