https://youtu.be/Vg42_W2xU2s Steeped in traditional Irish folk songs, sprinkled with popular music flourishes, and peppered with the experience that comes from being a self-taught musician, singer-songwriter, Niall McNamee covers the world of war-torn relationships in the single All I Need (seen/heard here). When a man lies dying, his life flashes before him. The protagonist sits in a pub with all his mates, sharing last goodbyes before heading off to war. It’s about the senseless loss of life that war brings, about promises that can’t be kept, about the devastation of lives tangentially influenced by war, all as seen through this man’s eyes….
Read MoreHAEVN is the musical project between singer and songwriter Marijn van der Meer and film soundtrack composer Jorrit Kleijnen formed back in 2015. Jasmine van den Bogaerde, better known by her stage name Birdy, is the phenomenal singer, songwriter, and musician who started her career on the heels of a win of the Open Mic UK back in 2008 when she was just 12. While both HAEVN and Birdy are excellent in their own right, the sum of the parts here…
Read MoreOur world seems in shambles in many ways. One can easily lose hope when you look at all of the issues facing us. Casii Stephan’s anthem for dealing with life is found in These Hard Days (seen/heard here) and it is an anthem worth taking to heart! Stephan’s beautifully natural alto vibrato says it’s OK to scream in frustration, to let your emotions out, but calls on us to remember that no matter how hard these days are, “they are still our days.” The message here is that you…
Read MoreVodka has blown hot and cold Von Boyáge Laissez Faire (seen/heard here), which is why it has stayed in my to-do queue for several months without action. Yet there is something about the track that keeps me coming back. It’s not because the track breaks any new ground. No, in fact, it is pretty formulaic. What keeps me coming back is the sheer will of the song to insert itself. Every time I hear it, it is an ear-wig for at least a few hours after. That, in…
Read MoreAvid Vodka readers will remember Ebony Buckle. I’ve reviewed three of her tracks over the last year and change. There’s a reason for that: Buckle’s voice! It is at once beautiful, clear, and precise lyrically. While the storyline may not be perfectly clear, this leaves a space for the listener’s interpretation. The best creative minds have always written this way. They know their lyrical intended meaning, but they allow the listener space to experience their own vision. Enter Wild Woman, the single released back in July (seen/heard here),…
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