Sharp Vodka readers will remember Hugo Kant (a.k.a., Quentin Le Roux), musician and producer, from the hip-hop flavored alt-rocker Leave Me Alone, featuring California MC LostPoet, posted back in July 2014. About a year ago (May 2017) Hugo released the Out Of Time long-player, which features twelve cohesive tracks and a great number of musical styles and genres. Hip-hop, particularly trip-hop, plays defining roles in the underlying sounds. The long-player is decidedly thematic in nature; Perhaps not a true concept album, as lyrically there is little here aside from…
Read MoreI have been a fan of Laura Veirs from the first time I heard her on CMJ New Music Monthly’s 2005 sampler CD with the tune Galaxies. She has a captivating compositional style that keeps you listening. That hasn’t changed after 20 years of making great alternative flavored pop music. Veirs has just released her 10th solo long-player, The Lookout (April 2018), from which Everybody Needs You (seen/heard here) comes. Laura Veirs has been uncompromising in being true to her musical visions, regardless of remaining unknown to many after…
Read MoreIt should be no surprise to once again see one of Vodka’s favorite rockers, Courtney Barnett, posted here; this time with the opening track of her edgy debut LP, Sometimes I Sit And Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit. (March 2015) Elevator Operator explores the everyday rush of our world with a melody and lyric that is both comedic and accessible. Here at Vodka, we can’t get enough of Courtney’s music. We’ve been following her since we first posted our review of History Eraser clear back in December 2012….
Read MoreLittle Tybee blends the ethereal with modern rock and folk (among other genres) to come up with an astounding masterpiece of sound on Languid. Check out the instrumentation here, it is everywhere and each instrument adds its own texture, its own voice. After a successful Kickstarter campaign, Little Tybee’s fourth album, which includes Languid, should be out any time. You can find the band’s previous two long-players, Humorous To Bees (2011) and For Distant Viewing (2013) on the band’s bandcamp.com site. Little Tybee doesn’t appear to have a website but…
Read MoreAt Vodka, we are always delighted to come across a band that truly embodies our moniker. So it was with great jubilation that we stumbled across The Collection, a community of musicians and singers fronted by the high tenor vocals of founder and lead David Wimbish. In true alternative fashion, no musical instrument is rejected as witnessed here on Old Wineskins which includes trombone, sax, and clarinet in the mix along with all of the usual pop-rock components. Musical influences are also truly alternative, with the…
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