New York native Bill Scorzari will release his sophomore album, Through These Waves, on March 10th. Produced by Jonah Tolchin the album of all original material contains twelve tracks that wash over you with a wave of tranquility beginning with the opening tune, the sweeping and peaceful "A Dream of You." From there, Through These Waves moves to the charming “A Brand New Deal," a fiddle-filled number about renewing a relationship, “Shelter from the Wind” whose wind and crashing rain transports you to a place of solitude and hope; and the funky affirmation of "Hound Dog Diggin’.” Kim Richey provides vocal assist on the soul-searcher "Holy Man" while “She Don’t Care About Auld Lang Syne” details the dissolution of a relationship in such a way your heart will hurt. The album is rounded out with songs that are insightful and perceptive: the jaunty "For When I Didn't See", the gentle “I Can Carry This,” and the somber "Riptide." An album that is serene, uplifting, and powerful, Through These Waves is a gem waiting to be discovered.
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Released in January, Brian Lambert’s Country Music Jesus sets forth a bold title….but the album’s the farthest thing from an ego trip. Produced by Salim Nourallah (Old 97's), the self-penned six-track collection tackles everything from young love and lost love to struggle, country music – and Tony Romo - with a sincere honesty. With hints of Elvis in his vocals, Lambert opens with piano-laden, shuffling title track extoling, and longing for, the country music of yesteryear, “Now I ain’t saying that we need to go back to the past/And copy what the masters have done/Ah but there is something about today’s country music.” Quoting REK, the twangy “Don’t Ask Me” offers a realistic, somber portrait of a man who, due to economic downturns, has become someone who is just getting by – and someone he doesn’t know, while “The Ballad of Tony Romo”, with its retro jazzy vibe and harmonies, pays tribute to the man who gets back up when he’s down, and “Blood” offers up a darker side with gritty vocals and thumping percussive notes. The set is rounded out with the breezy, truthful “Young and Dumb in Love” a tale of how we view things when love is new and the reality of what we see (clearly) as time passes and “Halloween” a bittersweet, soulful duet featuring Becky Middelton about the hurt we feel when a marriage and family ends and we see the other person with someone new. With Country Music Jesus, Lambert pairs memorable melodies with relatable stories of relationships, heartache, and life experiences with which you’ll connect. Give it a listen. Inspired by music of the past, singer-songwriter Sean Ryan comes from a long line of musicians beginning with his grandfather who performed with the Las Vegas “Rat Pack.” Ryan was taught drums by his father at the age of eleven and started playing professionally within the same year. After seven years touring and performing with his father and brother, he left to pursue his own solo project and recently released his latest album, Finer Things. The ten-song project, written, and produced by Sean along with Rob Gulseth and co-produced by Taylor Kropp, features songs that are delivered sincerely with soul and passion. Whether it’s appealing to a love on the dreamy, reflective opener “All Night Long,” dealing with uncertainty on “Edger Allan Poe” or yearning for a special someone on the roots rocker “Go My Way,” Ryan weaves stories of love, struggles, and triumphs that are wholly relatable. Finer Things also includes the infectious “Stuck In My Head,” the duo of “Zombie Heart” and “Bury Me,” rockers that convey that mix sadness and anger one experiences in relationships, and personal favorite, the keys-accented, uplifting “Burn Inside You” before closing with the anthemic “Who I Am.” To listen and purchase visit HERE. Award-winning soul and blues singer-songwriter Jo Harman released her second studio album, People We Become, on February 3rd. Recorded in Nashville with producer Fred Mollin the album consists of ten original tracks including the first single, “When We Were Young,” which features soul legend Michael McDonald. Opening with the gorgeous gospel-like introduction of “No One Left To Blame” (which leads into a sultry bluesy tale with a wicked guitar solo) the album focuses on the myriad of emotions that one experiences in, and after, a relationship. While the piano-driven ballads “Silhouettes Of You” and “Lend Me Your Love” as well as “Unchanged and Alone” emit a sad ache that finds loneliness front and center, the funky “Reformation” and “Changing of the Guard” both look forward. The album is rounded out with the ethereal “Person Of Interest,” “The Final Page,” which offers a plea for forgiveness and the sweeping, heart-wrenching closer “Lonely Like Me.” Harman delivers a sophomore record that is elegant, delicate, and spacious. Intricately crafted, the emotional songs, delivered with passion and soul by a singular voice, will resonate with anyone who has experienced the pain and joys of a relationship - and knows they play a large part in making us the people we become. What’s there to say about Guy Clark and his beautifully crafted songs that hasn’t already been said? As one of the most revered songwriters of years past, Clark created a catalog of songs that were truly stories, ones that painted vivid pictures, made keen observations, or told sad tales. Clark, who passed away on May 17, 2016, made over a dozen critically acclaimed albums with Dualtone Records and on March 3rd, Dualtone will release a new retrospective, Guy Clark: Best of the Dualtone Years. The double disc set draws from his last three studio releases: Workbench Songs, Somedays The Song Writes You, and My Favorite Picture of You as well as 2011’s live cd Songs and Stories and includes such beloved songs as “Rain in Durango,” “The Randal Knife” and “The Guitar.” Additionally, this best of set also includes a trio of previously unreleased songs: “Just to Watch Maria Dance,” “The Last Hobo” (co-written with Hal Ketchum) and the Marty Stuart collaboration “Time” which are sure to enthrall Clark fans. Of course, no collection would be complete without two of Clark’s most well-known songs, “L.A. Freeway” (a hit for Jerry Jeff Walker) and “Dublin Blues,” both of which can be found here. There are very few artists of today who were not inspired by Guy Clark…once you listen to Guy Clark: The Best of the Dualtone Years you’ll know why - and want to dive deeper if you already haven’t. Ed note: In October, Guy Clark’s biography Without Getting Killed or Caught: The Life and Music of Guy Clark (Texas A&M University Press) was published to universal praise. It’s a lengthy, detailed, and fascinating read - a lovingly crafted homage that is essential reading for any music lover. Citing influences such as Waylon, Petty, Cash and Nelson, the California-based Robbie Davis Band released their self-titled album last September. The ten-track project includes ballads ("Tumbleweed," "Don't Tell Me You're Leaving"), roots rockers ("It's A Beautiful Day"), and rocking contemporary country tunes including "Ride The Bull" and "Flip My Switch." Standout track , "Smoke and Whiskey," a gentle, somber ballad that emits a sad loneliness, closes the record on a powerful, emotional note. For more information visit HERE. |
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October 2018
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