You may remember Ebony Buckle from Vodka’s review of Ghost a few months back. Well, Buckle has returned to bring us the hope we all crave in these crazy times. With enough bad news to depress even the most optimistic person, Ebony Buckle is the voice of our salvation. Enter, You’re Loved, a testament to you, whoever you are, to let you know that someone loves you and you are not alone. It’s also a plea to love yourself. The music is great, but the vocals from Buckle are what…
Read MoreRegular Vodka readers will know that we have covered Dropkick many times in the past. They’ve got a fun, bouncy sound, that will keep your feet moving most of the time, anyway. Andrew Taylor of Dropkick has just released a set of music recorded between October 9th and 15th during the pandemic lockdown. Just Let It Happen (seen/heard here) came out of those recording sessions, and the subsequent long-player, Lockdown Session: October 2020 (October 2020). Just Let It Happen (the video) showcases the multiple talents of Taylor, who…
Read MoreYou may know Tyson Kelly as a touring John Lennon impersonator-because he is that-but he’s also a songwriter in his own right and a performer of frenetic hit material like Am I Ever Gonna See You Again (seen/heard here), which is just one song in his latest 4-song EP, Plastic Rockstar (available on streaming services now). And while this has nothing to do with Tyson Kelly’s own talent, he is the son of Tom Kelly, who has written hits for the likes of…
Read MoreA little bit rock, a little bit pop, a little bit of everything, really, Philadelphia based PHNTMS’ new single, Carabelle (seen/heard here) features rich emotive vocals, spare but beautifully played instrumentation, just a touch of reverb, and a melody that is instantaneously infectious. These are qualities of all great songs and PHNTMS has them all here on display. Lyrically, Carabelle, sung by vocalist Alyssa Gambino, is a tale of a toxic, yet intoxicating, relationship gone South. It’s that taste that you get at the end: a sense of loss and relief…
Read MoreSometimes there just isn’t a good video, and during the pandemic, that is becoming the case more often than not, but when a song grabs you, it shouldn’t be rejected simply because no video exists. Enter Sam Valdez and the single, Clean. This is a song about a toxic love affair that should be over, but isn’t, for all of the wrong reasons. The lyric cuts like a knife-wielding attempt at metaphoric suicide: “You finally turned up clean today Your parents brought you bread…
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