Florida. Florida. Florida. Those three words forever chiseled in the annals of American political and journalistic history from the late broadcaster Tim Russert, take on a different meaning during this summer of discontent, or, summer of 2020. No, I’m not talking about “hanging chads” or even The Villages, I’m talking about another Florida band stealing
Troy Johnstone
Lavendine aren’t driven by commercial interests in their music, and if you need evidence proving as much, you needn’t give their single “Rapture” more than a casual listen this season. In “Rapture,” Lavendine endear themselves to the contemporary Christian music model while also looking at elements of progressive pop from a standpoint few would expect
After years of observing behind the camera, Andre Mayon steps in front of the mic and drops a suave, silky adoring song in his debut “Love At First Sight”. The smooth sounding Mayon takes the listener into a poetic and amorous state-of-mind set to the backdrop of just a solo, acoustic guitar. It’s a moving
Sunny and bright, colorful and consistent, the music video for Little Hurt’s new single “Alaska” is – on the surface, at least – the antithesis of what most people would think of when the name of the northernmost state is mentioned. There’s nothing even about mountain ranges or valleys, nor is there a lot of
Rob Alexander has been setting a high standard for both himself and the scene he was born of with the last three singles he’s released from the new album Being Myself, but in his latest, the taut “This Hollywood Road,” he gets down and dirty with rock n’ roll aesthetics he’d never experimented with in the
Leading off of the crossroads between the bands Disturbed and Lincoln Park, California’s Zero Theorem forge a force to be reckoned with in the thriller “Swarm”. Piling on the sounds of gnawing emotions with machine-line precision, this song just doesn’t fall into place. It claws and fights it way to front-and-center. Reaching new heights, “Swarm”
“Break the glass in case of emergency / Open your arms to me” we’re told in the chorus of The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus’ new single “Brace Yourself,” the vocals somehow matching the intensity of the adjacent riff in all of its metallic glory. Alongside the hook, the verses continue with “Brace yourselves in case of
There isn’t much to the music video for King Falcon’s single “Shake! Shake! Shake!” other than swinging bodies and the unfiltered energy of the duo’s play, but with the heat the song’s harmonies produce around every turn, what more does one really need? King Falcon aren’t playing around with overly experimental concepts in “Shake! Shake!
In their latest single, titled “Bleed Over Me,” poetic rock crew 308 Ghost Train deliver a stunningly brawny ballad that shows us a slightly different side of their sound than the one presented to us in their last couple of widely-released songs. Right from the jump, there’s something labored in the emotionality of both the
Charlie Alpha Papa seems like a nice guy. He tries to treat his woman nice, taking her to exotic Bora Bora. But something happened and he’s harnessed that frustration of trying to get back to that spot to rekindle their love in his new song “Bora Bora” (Capish Music). From his new album Part of
With a spunky little rhythm as its primary agent of evocation – outside of the sublime lead vocal, that is – there isn’t any part of “Colors” that doesn’t live up to what the song’s title would imply it could sound like. “Colors” sports a performance for the ages without question, but it’s not the
Animal Sun, the tight rock band with southern charm and west coast wishes, combines wistful pop rock vibes and elegance in the new track “Still Believe”. Expressing pleads of the heart and triumphant music beds, “Still Believe” is a catchy tune that showcases a band with a penchant for touching the heart and soul of
Texas can’t hold ‘em – great music that is! Though this is his third single released, Amir Beats’ “Got ‘Em Throwin’ Dollars” is a twerk-worthy track coming out of Houston. A flashy woman, high costs and fleeting beats in deep in the jersey-meets-leather fabric of this song. Littered with Beats’ voice that juggles a load
There are few underground scenes in North America, and truly the whole world, as vibrant and diverse as Southern California’s is, and this summer, one of its many underrated gems – Dizzy Box Nine – is back with a collection of melodic tracks you’ll definitely want to hear. In Faster Than Anticipation, Dizzy Box Nine get
It’s easy to feel empathy for full time piano player/keyboardist, singer/songwriter, entertainer Marc Dorian. He’s really taking it on the chin in his new down-on-his luck tale, “End Of The Tunnel”. Keep rooting for him, because even though the lyrics suggest a different take, his eternally optimistic voice leaves you smiling and basking in his peculiar
The new single “Darkest Hour” from DawgGone Davis featuring Chago G Williams is a reflection of the times. Part heartache and having semblances of inspirational shout outs, “Darkest Hour” is a slow cadence, with transformative rock vibes, that gives a one-of-a-kind rapper like DawgGone a soapbox. Count “Darkest Hour” as keeping tabs on something new
Trevor Drury is not just another pretty face. Well, he is a pretty face – the male face for Tom Ford’s 2016 Fall campaign, Drury brings that same confidence and style to his new single “Second Chances”. Distinctly honest and a bit Anthony Kiedis-esque aloof, Drury’s magnetic vocals in the pop rock/ genre bending song
The acoustic guitar and plucky ukulele never sounded so decorous as it does alongside the alchemy-laced voice of Anna May. May’s exquisite I’m Still Thinking Of You weaves its wonderful thread through poetic tapestry and stirring echoes of folk singers before her and the droplets of coffee house sojourners wanting to mimic someone like May.
K-Roll is the recording moniker for rapper and singer, Kevin Rollinson. Aptly named, his new track “Real Quick” serves as a bit of a crystal ball. Anticipating that his song is a hit, “Real Quick” actually is about the recording process. Featuring Quesh, $DOE$ and Simon Sayz, “Real Quick” is the Greenville, S.C.-based rapper’s debut
Arina Mai’s new song “Get Closer” swoons the listener into a mesmerizing self-reflection. Mai’s inner voice and outward charisma solidify her appeal. This new track, reminiscent of the vocals of the late Marie Fredriksson (Roxette), is a solid pop offering. Her moving, full of emotion, pleas hit straight to the heart and soul. URL: https://www.arinamai.com/
Mixing true R&B charisma with a faith-based conceptualism in his lyrics and overall delivery, singer and songwriter HeIsTheArtist offers listeners a fantastic new single in “Boom – Love Version” this summer that is almost certain to stir your soul. Structured around a lush lead vocal from our leading man, “Boom – Love Version” is a
Just listening to the beat in “Get the Funk,” the new single from Billy Ray Rock, is enough to conjure memories of a historical funk sound for anyone who appreciates the genre’s best moments, but don’t get me wrong – this track is hardly a pure throwback. Straddling the rhythm with a smoky vocal that
“I’m back from the river / Don’t you worry ‘bout me / I’ll be what I wanna be / I’m back from the river” sings a smoky-voiced Brendan Staunton, who has his heart on his sleeve in “River,” one of the nine songs found on the new album Last of the Light. “River” is absolutely one
Punishing with its beats, steady and unshaken in its flow, the menacingly melodic but ultimately evenhanded “Buddha” from Elz Bentley might be one of the more reasonable and rhythmically intriguing tracks to come out of the southern hip-hop underground this summer. Clocking in at less than a minute and a half in total length, “Buddha”
What do you get when you combine the love for Prince and all things 80s music with a modern R&B and hip-hop track? Singer and songwriter Brandon Agustus shows his sensitive side and confident side in “Let Your Heart Break” out now via his new record Days of Wasted Youth. Agustus is a Florida-born, New
Undisputedly as captivating and visually-stimulating as anything you would see in a conventional music video, the imagery found in the new lyric video for Johnnie Mikel’s single “Nothing to Lose” definitely presents us with a fun take on the intriguing pop song. In more ways than one, Mikel’s vibrant personality bleeds into this unique video
In their latest album, titled simply Gravity, Paul Mark & the Van Dorens prove that they’ve yet to lose their touch in a dozen of tracks drawing as much from the discographies of Tom Waits and Warren Zevon as they do contemporary life. Right out of the gate in “Gravity is Failing,” Mark makes it clear
Slowly creeping from the darkness like some sort of demonic figure in the night, we find the beginnings of 8rooklyn 8atman’s “Chitty Bang” ready to spellbind anything and anyone who comes within earshot of the growing malice in the melody. Long before he begins to regale us with stories of life, strife and wisdom through
Heartache fills the air not long after hitting play on the new single “All Night Again” from Manny Cabo, but this isn’t because of any flaw in the meticulous melody we’re listening to. Even before Cabo begins to sing, there’s a passion in the instrumentation that will become his central backdrop that even the most
How would you classify your music? I would say it’s very story driven Rap…heavy on the vibes. You never know what you’re going to get. You just know I’m going to bring you into my world. It will be personal and fun experience. Who are some of your top 5 musical influences? Biggie, Kanye, Dom