Crossword Smiles is an indie-pop band with a jangly retro feel. They make perfect little pop gems that please the ear while giving you plenty to dance to. A case in point is Parallel Lines (seen/heard here) from their new LP, Pressed & Ironed, due September 16, 2022. Parallel Lines shares the musical stage with 9 other varied tracks. There’s something for everyone here, but mostly these are mid-tempo numbers with great melodies and harmonies. There’s enough textural difference between…
Read MoreThe beautiful soulful voice of Ann King begs to be listened to. Bright and clear, she sings with an earnestness that is instantaneously infectious. Combining pop chops with R&B leanings, It Comes and Goes (seen/heard here) tells the story of searching for, and not yet finding, your own personal happy ending: “But I’ve heard that the bluebird sings Somewhere upon a hill Where the sound of music rings And the rainbow rises still I’ve heard the tales a million times For they change…
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 MoreLoud Forest’s Easy To Love (seen/heard here), is a country-flavored folk-pop offering, from a duo more inclined (at least in the past) for indie-pop music. Made up of husband and wife team, Bernard and Rachel Chadwick, the two have been making music together for a number of years, and while their music is often influenced by folk artists, this is one of the first times that it has captured that sound. Sans the electronics and echo of previous offerings, the…
Read MoreOne of Vodka’s favorite indie-pop duos, Natalie and Sebastian Brice, better known as Sinnober, has been churning out some excellent singles of late. Enter It Meant Something To Me (heard here) which was released a little over a week ago, and could be the best new track yet. It’s the sort of song that will have your head bobbing while the melody gets stuck in your head on repeat as any good pop tune does. The upbeat music belies the…
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