HuDost makes uplifting rock music tinged with folk. Rise Together (seen/heard here) is from the forthcoming long-player, Of Water + Mercy, due out in just a couple of months. Rise Together is as pleasing as an anthem but suffers from everything being pushed to the ultimate limit (read loudness wars) and a subsequent loss of dynamics. What is masterful musically, becomes less so when your ears get tired just with the act of listening. That negative aside, there’s no denying the talent of the band or the great vocal chops of…
Read MoreDave Kerzner’s new band (you may remember Dave Kerzner from an earlier post on Vodka), In Continuum, sports the kind of progressive rock you would expect from a man so obviously and positively influenced by the likes of Yes, Pink Floyd, Emerson, Lake & Palmer and more. In fact, guest appearances on the band’s debut long-player, include John Wesley of Porcupine Tree, drummer Nick D’Virgilio of Vodka favorite Big Big Train and Spocks Beard, and appearances from Jon Davison of Yes. That’s not to mention the actual band members, which…
Read MoreVodka 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…
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…
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…
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