Not exactly “new” but fresh faces on the music scene, The Blue Stones, released their first debut long-player, Black Holes, this past year (2018). Prior to that, they have been honing a blues-rock persona via seven years of hard work and an EP. At their grungiest, they can be equated with the likes of the Rolling Stones and Jimi Hendrix, but they have tapped into the quieter moments of blues-rock as well, delving into the spiritual essence of Muddy Waters and B. B. King, and the raw…
Read MoreVodka picked Israeli band Ouzo Bazooka, not for its spot-on vocals or the production quality of its videos, but because of the totality in the lack of each, while embracing a rock, progressive rock, vibe that is in itself different from anything else you will find in music today. In essence, Ouzo Bazooka does not take itself too seriously, while still putting together interesting music that defies simple categories. They fit neatly in the Vodka mantra: “Music that isn’t the same old thing…mostly.” Ouzo Bazooka creates a melding of Middle Eastern…
Read MoreClear back in 2013, Vodka posted a single, Carolina Calling, from bluegrass-tinged folk-pop group Mipso. Since that time, Mipso has been busy, continuing to carefully craft folk-pop gems. Moonlight (seen/heard here) is from the band’s latest (April 2018) long-player, Edges Run, containing twelve thoughtful and fun tracks. At the time of the original review for Carolina Calling, the band had an earlier long-player, Long, Long Gone, which is apparently, um, long, long gone. No mention of that appears on their website. That said, there are two EP’s and another long-player, Coming Down…
Read MoreEvery once in a while, Vodka discovers an unlit corner of the music industry that has been out there for a while pounding out some great music. Enter the latest addition to found greatness, Iceland’s Hafdis Huld, who has been making great music as a solo artist since 2006-going even further back (1995) as a collaborating artist. Take Me Dancing (seen/heard here) is from Hafdis’ 2017 long-player, Dare To Dream Small, and continues a theme of sorts that has developed over the last few months for me highlighting…
Read MoreI appear to be on a positive bent lately, which is never bad. With Big Little Lions, Jenie Thai, We Are Leif, Lydian Collective, and now Me And My Friends. Each of those previously mentioned positive vibes in music are completely different styles, from indie-pop to rhythm and blues to the vocal and instrumental elements of modern jazz. Enter Me And My Friends which takes folk music and puts it in an afrobeat envelope and mails it directly to your ears. It’s a completely…
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