Australian Julia Johnson nearly yodels her way through the bubbly ‘can’t believe all of this good stuff could be happening to me’ effervescence of Little Surprises, from Julia and The Deep Sea Sirens 2010 long-player, Family Pets. The video uses simply choreographed umbrella dancing, shadow puppets and the after effects of a lightning strike, to drive home the point of the lyrics so carefully crafted by Julia, "I still get a little surprise, when things work out so well. I still get a…
Read MoreBack in October, the band One Point Oh released their single and video We’re All Stars. I almost posted the video back then, but musically, it felt like something I’d heard before. That said, I’ve revisited the video several times since then and there is something about the song that is captivating. There is a positive energy to One Point Oh that deserves to be felt. We’re All Stars captures that feeling and keeps you coming back for more. So, even with…
Read MoreBack in December (2012), I reviewed the fun-loving Courtney Barnett’s single, History Eraser. It’s no accident that this song made the Best of Vodka 2012 list in January. Courtney combines elements of blues-rock with alt-pop to create a totally unique sound used extensively in her music creation. Case in point is Courtney’s Scotty Says from her April 2012 EP, I’ve Got A Friend Called Emily Ferris. Courtney Barnett knows how to weave humor seamlessly into her songs. More importantly, these songs are…
Read MoreIn the genre’ of alt-pop, there is a tendency to come off sounding the same as other practitioners, borrowing formulaic styles to fit within a neat, oversimplified context. That’s why it is so pleasant to run across an artist such as She Makes War (a.k.a. Laura Kidd) that borrows, extends and adds to the context, making it accessible within the genre’, but keeping it totally unique. Here on Exit Strategy from She Makes War’s April 2012 long-player, Little Battles, Laura makes…
Read MoreI know, I know! You’re saying: “Steve, you just posted for Lonely Drifter Karen a couple of days ago!” Yes, I know. I’m fully aware that I’m repeating myself. Here’s the deal: After listening to a couple more tracks from the band, I don’t think I was totally fair in my assessment. I’m finding the band compelling to listen to. Take this track, Three Colors Red, which channels a little Jefferson Airplane along with today’s alt-pop sounds, as an example….
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