At Vodka, we are always delighted to come across a band that truly embodies our moniker. So it was with great jubilation that we stumbled across The Collection, a community of musicians and singers fronted by the high tenor vocals of founder and lead David Wimbish. In true alternative fashion, no musical instrument is rejected as witnessed here on Old Wineskins which includes trombone, sax, and clarinet in the mix along with all of the usual pop-rock components. Musical influences are also truly alternative, with the obvious…
Read MoreIt is a tough process to balance musically on a line between danceable pop and full-on rock and roll, but UK band Some Velvet Morning (SVM) does it perfectly here with No Walls, from the band’s latest 4-song EP, Musical Chairs (April 2016). SVM has been making pop music on the edge of rock since 2006. It is amazing that a three-piece band can sound so much larger than their numbers! On No Walls, the band’s nearly discoesque beats give way to driving rock during the refrain. SVM is…
Read MoreYou may remember Swiss band Matto Rules from the Vodka posting almost a year ago for the beautiful, haunting, Saranda. Well, the long-awaited long-player for the band, What Comes Around (March 2016) is finally here, and it is worth the wait as demonstrated by Tonight above. As with the earlier Saranda, Matto Rules has plenty of the plaintive and haunting, but What Comes Around displays a willingness to play with the outer edges, rocking up the tempo (Tonight, Somewhere Else) or the middle ground (Alive, Let It Rain) all the time maintaining…
Read MoreIndie rockers Clone of Clones recently released their first long-player after a few years of developing their sound and gigging around the Washington DC area. Somebody Else is one of the tracks from Monster Heart (October 2015), which deconstructs the love, lost love, moving on subject very uniquely. The overall sound of Clone of Clones is very modern indie-rock. It is accessible while still being enough different to set them apart from the crowds of music in the same genre’. That’s if you can locate them in that…
Read MoreHayley Richman has released a long-players worth of haunting pop-rock singles since 2013, but to date, no long-player itself. Combining intriguing lyrics and haunting melodies, Ms. Richman produces music that is commanding and personal, sometimes deceptively simple and sometimes obviously complex, with an eye towards rockier refrains and bridges. The effect is very pleasing! I’ll Be Your Crime, seen here, was released in September 2015. There is not a lot of information on Hayley Richman out there, but she does have a Facebook page, YouTube channel, and a…
Read More