Indie Music

Rock Music Reviews Artist: Rose of Jericho Title: These City Lights Official Site: http://www.roseofjericho.com Myspace: http://www.myspace.com Style: Rock/Pop/Indie By Staff Writer Samantha Landis Rose of Jericho is a three piece band based in San Antionio featuring Andrea Russie (Vox/ Keyboard/ Lyricist), Matt Rasmussen (Guitar/Songwriter), and Jonathan Ucab (Drums). These City Lights is Rose of Jericho's second album. These City Lights showcases Rose of Jericho's unique songwriting skills and the main attraction is Andrea Russie's vocals. For fans of Paramore and Evanescence, Andrea is your next Hayley Williams and Amy Lee. The band's name reflects the idea of reawakening. Andrea says, "If you put the tumbleweed-like Rose of Jericho in a bowl of water, it comes back to life completely." Rose of Jericho's title track "These City Lights" is lyrically focused on Andrea Russie, based on a dream she had about encountering herself as a little girl. "It's about rediscovering yourself if you feel you've been lost along the way" said Andrea. Check out: "Buried Cold" and "These City Lights" Sounds like: Paramore and Evanescence. Artist: Fortune 500 Title: Fly to the Sun Website: http://www.fortune500music.com MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/f500music Style: Rock/Power Pop Rating: 9.4 out of 10 By Senior Writer C.W. Ross The band Fortune 500 got their start in 2005 in Washington State. It's members (Matt Lessley- lead vocals/ guitar/harmonica, Andy Brown- bass/ vocals and Scott Storie- drums/vocals) had sharpened their music skills playing in other bands in the area like Killision, The Swerving Birds, Hindu Grass, Bluegreen, and Pavlov Jones. The band lists some of their musical influences as, Green Day, Weezer, Rufus and The Who. While describing their sound as, "Pete Townshend introducing Green Day to Weezer." Fly to the Sun is the band's debut release. This release is filled with music that will rock your socks off. The songs are filled with guitar hooks sharp enough to go shark fishing with while the drum beats shake the ground all this is topped off with strong vocals that take command of each song. This release has so many positives found in it that it's hard to no where to start. This band's music is really tight and when they let it hang out like in the songs, "I Don't Know," "Say It If You Want To," and the one live track found on this release, "Save Your Life" it will make the hairs on your arms stand up. Several of the songs also have a bit of a retro feel to them. "Drenched" has a 60's pop rock feel along with the band's take on the John Denver song, "Leaving on a Jet Plane" ("Leavin' On a Jetplane") that was made famous when Peter, Paul and Mary released it as a single in 1969. As I listened to the band's music I kept thinking to myself why haven't I heard of this band before? Music sounding this good needs to be heard. If anyone is reading this from a major record label you need to get to one of the band's shows soon. For the rest of you put Fortune 500's Fly to the Sun on your music-shopping list. Artist: Fenix Down Title: Protected Website: http://www.fenixdown.com Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/fenixdownny Style: Rock/Alternative/Metal By Staff Writer L. Anne Carrington A rock band inspired by Final Fantasy, Fenix Down is based out of Staten Island, New York. When choosing their name, the band looked through a list of Final Fantasy spells and chose Fenix Down, which is an item that brings people back to life. Their latest release, Protected, is one of those albums that can combine both the concept of video games and music and the end result actually working well. There aren't many other bands that can pull both off at the same time, but Fenix Down does it with little effort. Protected is proof positive of that. "The One" is the album's best track; others I recommend are "Sleepsting," "Flow," and the closing track, "Circle of Life." As far as good old fashioned rock goes, Fenix Down is perhaps the best band out there. Why these guys don't have a major label is anyone's guess; they are that damn good. They may not be into danceable, angular riffs, but they certainly have one foot in the headbangers ball, without the mindless, tuneless thrashing, and that isn’t a bad thing at all. In any event, Fenix Down is on a distinguished road, and for anyone who likes the concept of both video game inspiration combined with good rock/alternative sound without the usual boring result, then Protected can be the answer. I certainly give a both thumbs up to this CD as well as recommend giving it a listen...or three. Artist: Billy Skinner Title: Tomorrow's Sun Website: http://www.tomorrowssun.com CDBaby: http://cdbaby.com/cd/billyskinner Style: Rock Rating: 8.1 out of 10 By Senior Writer C.W. Ross Billy Skinner is not your average young-faced musician. Billy's musical journey didn't start until he was 38 years old when he decided to teach himself how to play the guitar. Billy had spent the first part of his life training and running as a competitive distance runner. He says that he uses the same dedication and ambition from his running days in his music. Tomorrow's Sun is Billy Skinner's debut release. On it you'll find a collection of 14 original songs, all written by Billy. The songs feature a classic rock sound that also incorporates elements of, Indie rock, Americana, country rock, and folk. Some of that variety of style comes from Billy's equally wide-variety of artist that he enjoys listening to. Everyone from Frank Sinatra, Jimi Hendrix, and AudioSlave to Megadeth, Little Feet, and Lynyrd Skynard. The songs found on Tomorrow's Sun come to life with the excellent guitar work; both acoustic and electric, that really takes control of the songs and guide them while steady drum beats play in the background. Several of the songs also feature some really nice saxophone parts that really punch up the spirit of the songs. Billy isn't afraid to touch on tough subjects in his songs. "Mama's Sons," deals with the tragedy and controversial subject of war, while "Indian Souls," deals with the land grab made by the government of Indian lands. Other more usual subjects like, family, loss and love are also dealt with in the songs. Lucky for all of us that Billy made the decision to give music a try because Tomorrow's Sun is a well-crafted CD. This feat is even more impressive when you add in the fact that it's also Billy Skinner's debut release. Artist: Virginia Coalition Title: Home This Year Website: http://www.virginiacoalition.com Style: Rock/ Folk Rock Rating: 9.2 out of 10 By Senior Writer C.W. Ross Virginia Coalition released their first album; The Colors of the Sound, in 1998, now 10 years later comes their latest (5th)release, Home This Year. The core of the band is Andy Poliakoff (vocals/guitar), Paul Ottinger (keyboard/ guitar/vocals/percussion), and Jarrett Nicolay (bass/guitar/vocals), although you'll also find several other musicians credited for their playing on this album. Unlike some of the band's previous releases that liked to mix up the styles this one stayed pretty much on course with its blend of pop/rock/folk style of music. While listening to the songs artist like, Marc Cohn, The Clarks and The Wallflowers sound came to mind. The band really wanted to make sure that the songs found on Home This Year where perfect so for the first time the band decided to collaborate with other songwriters, including Brooklyn folk-rocker Ari Hest, New Orleans-based bluesman Anders Osborne, Maia Sharp who wrote "A Home" for the Dixie Chicks, David Ryan Harris who's performed with John Mayer and the album's Producer, Marshall Altman (Marc Broussard, Matt Nathanson). The result is a really great collection of songs that are very well written and deal both with lighter subjects along with more thought-provoking ones like found in track-4, "Not Scared" that deals with the subject of interracial love. Over the years the band has built up a very loyal following along with a reputation for a must-see live show. This release should help to keep that fanbase growing. The band's music is really tight and well performed and the lyrics really fit the songs. Like a fine wine Virginia Coalition has proved with their latest release Home This Year bands also get better with age. Artist: Vinny Davis Title: New and Improved Sparkling Emptiness Website: http://www.vinnydavismusic.com Style: Rock/Pop/New Age By Staff Writer L. Anne Carrington Vinny Davis' follow-up CD to 2006's The Direction You’re Falling has arrived, and not a moment too soon New and Improved Sparkling Emptiness contains an eccentric yet eclectic variety of rock, pop, hip hop and jazz blended with some amusing, but never sermonizing, lyrics. A self-taught musician, Davis takes on a variety of topics on this album, everything arranging from the present state of health care to the educational system, culminating in an eleven-minute track, "The Human Asteroid!" Like its previous release, New and Improved Sparkling Emptiness shows off the lighter side of taking the unconventional approach to making good music. It is more than just a jumble of fourteen tracks randomly thrown together; despite its theme of offbeat humor tackling the topics of everyday life, it's an album meant to be heard from beginning to end. We may all even learn something in the process. The mixture of instrumentals and unconventional sound is not unlike that of the late Frank Zappa, whom which Davis is often compared. In any event, it's a sound that Davis has made his own original trademark. If you haven't had the opportunity to enjoy humorous yet well put together music, New and Improved Sparkling Emptiness, along with the other works of Vinny Davis, I highly recommend picking both this CD up as well as any future work. It is guaranteed to put a smile on one’s face while making them think at the same time. Artist: The Lions Rampant Title: Play Rock 'n' Roll Website: http://thelionsrampant.com Style: Garage Rock Rating: 8 out of 10 By Staff Writer David Baker The Lions Rampant's (that's one hell of an awkward possessive form right there) Play Rock 'n' Roll is over before you know it, but this hybrid of garage, punk and blues rock demands multiple listens and threatens to grow on you like an out-of-control vine if you oblige. Hailing from just south of the Ohio border in the coat factory capital of the world, Burlington, Kentucky, these guys say "to hell with your typical genres;" they will do what they damn well please. As the dirty guitar tone of "70-30" opens the EP, disappointment is perhaps the first emotion. That's one ugly guitar tone. Then Stuart MacKenzie starts his sloppy scream-sing vocal style and you still aren't convinced. The production isn't blowing you away and you're about to write it off...but wait a second. This chorus isn't too bad. You start foot tapping along and before you know it, you're off to the second track, "Let Us In" and these guys are starting to grab you with their playful descending chord progression and singalong style chorus. You begin to forget about the ugly guitar tone. In fact, it kind of fits the music perfectly. By the time MacKenzie's riff rings in the opening of "Crying All the Time," your opinion has officially done a one-eighty. These guys aren't half-bad. And that's my story of Play Rock 'n' Roll. The experience continues for another three songs but if you're anything like me, you'll listen to these songs several times before it's all said and done. The hooks are plentiful, the energetic performances are addictive, and the rawness of the entire project adds a nuance that many rock bands end up being stripped of when a big label gets a hold of them. Let's hope that isn't the story to come for the Lions Rampant, because they have the ingredients to create a brilliantly sloppy brand of rock that draws from time-tested influences but gives the listener a completely new experience. These guys don't need to turn into Buckcherry. Artist: dyslextasy Title: Live. Die. Repeat. Website: http://www.dyslextasy.com Style: Rock Label: Urban Cheese Records Rating: 8.1 out of 10 By Senior Writer C.W. Ross Out of the misty grunge filled fog of the Seattle music scene comes a band that likes to make a statement with their music. Whether it be in a humorous way about an unwanted party guest like in the song, "Mr. Sunshine," or on a more serious note like found in the anti-war song, "Imperial Stout." There is also a theme of heavy alcohol consumption and some of the things that leads to that runs throughout the release. The band does a cover of the Jimmy Webb song, "Highwayman" that's probably best known for the Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson, and Willie Nelson 1980's version. The band does a good job with their cover of the song. The band also shows a bit of their soft side dedicating the song to the memory of John Stirrat, Fred Daniel, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, and also to those that have suffered the loss of a loved one. Live. Die. Repeat. is the debut release from the band that got its start in October 2007. The band pulls on rock, punk, and garage styles of music to achieve their sound. The band's lineup is, Neel Daniel (bass, lead vocals), Pat Stirrat (guitar, organ, backing vocals), and Brian Lumb (drums, backing vocals). The song's found on Live. Die. Repeat. are well written and filled with strong guitar and drum parts. The vocals adjust themselves to fit into the mood of each song. I think that with the music found on Live. Die. Repeat. the band has firmly planted its flag into the musical landscape. Artist: Aisha Raine Title: Never Broken Website: http://www.aisharaine.com Style: Rock Rating: 8 out of 10 By Senior Writer C.W. Ross Aisha Raine's music slogan is, "Black Chicks CAN Rock." That's exactly what she sets out to do on her debut release, Never Broken. She want to prove that just because you're a black woman you don't have to do only, soul, R&B, or Hip-Hop music. That the many colors of the musical rainbow are borderless. Aisha says that, "With rock, I found a way to truly express the difficulties that I've had to struggle with in life. " She list bands like, Linkin Park, Evanescence, Hoobstank, Breaking Benjamin, Default, Paramore, Mute Math, and Taking Back Sunday as her musical influences. Instead of a straight ahead rock assault the album offers up a mixture of styles from pop/rock, and alternative to rock mixed with club beats and scratching. Never Broken has a raw edge to it that drives home the points found in the songs. A lot of the songs deal with feeling like the world is trying to push you down and control you whether it be from other people are someone that your in a relationship with. It talks about the need to be strong in the person you are, take control of your life, and don't let others run you down. In her press material Aisha had some very insightful things to say, "(Never Broken) represents my soul. There are cracks and scars, but I'm still standing." Aisha continues, "Too many of us go through stressful situations and feel that no one understands. A lot of music out there speaks of love and happiness, but what some need are songs that let us know we are not alone suffering with life's battles, sometimes knowing someone else understands and can relate is just what you need to keep you going." My favorite tracks on Never Broken are up-tempo rockers, like track-9, "FaithHonestyTrust" that are filled with booming guitar and drum beats. With Never Broken Aisha has opened a door that hopefully many more artists will walk through! Artist: The Details Title: Draw a Distance. Draw a Border Website: http://www.thedetails.ca Style: Rock Rating: 8 out of 10 By Senior Writer C.W. Ross This group was formed in 2005 and hails from Winnipeg, Canada. The Details line-up is: Jon Plett (vocals, guitar, keyboard), Keli Martin (bass, keyboard, vocals), Sean Vidal (guitar, keyboards, vocals), and Shaun Gibson (drums, piano, vocals). The band previously released a 5 song EP in 2006 but Draw a Distance. Draw a Border is their debut full-length release. This release deals with looking back over one's life and seeing how choices that you've made, both good and bad, have lead to where you are at in the present time of your life. The songs also have a small thread of spirituality that runs throughout them. I would classify this as a thinking man's type release. The lyrics are very introspective and bring words like, melancholy, bittersweet and searching to mind while listening to it. This release also gets credit for having one of the longest song titles that I've heard in a long time. Track-5's title is, "I Asked What We Should Do. You Said, "I Just Don't Want To Think." Musically the style is Indie rock mainly driven by guitar parts that also includes a wide variety of side instruments like, keyboards, trumpet, cello, pedal steel, viola, and banjo that add flavor twists to the songs. The songs also have interesting arrangements with really abrupt endings found on them. At first listen it sounds a little weird but after thinking about it awhile I've decided that I liked it and can appreciate that the songs are all meat and no filler. For those of you in Canada you'll get a chance to hear the band play live on a coast-to-coast Canadian tour in April and May. I liked what I heard on Draw a Distance. Draw a Border. The band added some nice elements to the songs that kept the sound both fresh and entertaining. Artist: A Boy Named Earth Title: Seasons Website: www.myspace.com/aboynamedearthnj Style: Rock Opera Rating: 8.5 out of 10 By Senior Writer C.W. Ross I've been getting the chance recently to review a lot of rather eclectic Indie music and Seasons from A Boy Named Earth is no exception. Described by the group as a rock-opera it revolves around the story of a boy leaving home in search of something better in his life. The story is broken up into the four weather seasons. Track 1 is "Autumn." The song's running time is just under nine minutes and sets the stage for the story with it's moody, meandering pace. Like also found in the other seasons there is almost several songs in each of them, as the tempo changes like the months of the season changing. Track-2 "Winter," is over 6 minutes in length and portrays the season with heavy sounding instruments. Track-3 "Spring," lasting just under 10 minutes, is where hope starts again with lines like, I finally have reason to care. Track-4 "Summer" that last just over 10 minutes wraps up the journey with its melodic tones. The songs are rich in guitar and drum parts but the violin is the instrument that really takes the lead and controls the flow of the songs. The vocals weave in and out of the songs letting the instruments freely flow. The release ends up with the song, "Gavotte In G-Minor" a short instrumental track that last for just 3 minutes but gives the instruments time to take a bow in the musical spotlight of Seasons. I got to mention the band members to give them their due credit. Evan Acuna (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Dan Brown (violin, backing vocals), Tom "Goat" Healey (lead guitar), Steven Sandler (drums), and Kevin Rovner (bass). Job well done guys! The version I reviewed had 5 tracks but in a correspondence with the band they have decided to divide the release into 12 individual tracks to make it an easier listen. Either way Seasons is worth your time. Artist: Strix Vega Title: Drunken Sky Website: http://www.myspace.com/strixvega Style: Rock/Folk Rock By Staff Writer L. Anne Carrington Arcata, CA's Strix Vega is a three-piece band that was formed in 2004 and has kept on playing ever since. They're a band that can adapt to the type of audience they play; in a smaller setting, it is an acoustic atmosphere. At larger venues, be prepared for a louder, more energetic electrical sound. Either way, this band does not disappoint. Drunken Sky is a breath of fresh air in a music world populated by pop, bubble gum rap and emo rock. From the first listen, it's anything but dull music, yet it is well executed. The influences are those of Neil Young; Gillian Welch; Grant Lee Buffalo; Pink Floyd; The Shins; The Doors; Herbie Hancock; The Cannonball Adderly Quintet (1969); Max Roach; and Philly Joe Jones. Whether one listens to Drunken Sky for the first time or the fifth, the aforementioned influences can easily be picked up, whether it would be the opening tune, "Midnight," or other outstanding songs such as "Luck Runs Dry," and the title track, "Drunken Sky." It's just an amazing album; one of those the listener can really get into. Melancholy melodies and sultry rhythms create their wonderfully unique sound. Each track is creative and tells a story; Drunken Sky is one of those albums that exhibit what music has been missing for many years. It provokes thoughts of an era when artists actually cared enough about their music to put thought into their albums and even experiment every once in a while. Pick it up; it is not a set of works that should be missed. Review Footnote: Shortly after putting this review up I received several e-mails about parts of the review being taken from another review found at: http://cdbaby.com/cd/strixvega by writer Brian Millett without proper credit for it being given. I contacted our staff reviewer L. Anne Carrington about this and here's what she had to say - I did use some small parts from it, but it can be assured that the rest of the work is mine. Needless to say I'm very disappointed and will take all actions necessary to try to make sure that this never happens again on our site. Artist: Tommy Strazza Title: Welcome to the Rest of Your Life Website: http://www.tommystrazza.com MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/tommystrazza Style: Power Pop/ Rock Rating: 8 out of 10 By Senior Writer C.W. Ross Tommy Straza has performed both solo and with his band named The Model Citizens (Jeff Fernandes- drums/ backing vocals, Matt Jovanis- bass, Mike Stein- keys, J.P. Doherty- guitar/ backing vocals). Tommy's first solo album named Crawl was released in 1999 followed by a self-titled release in 2002. When asked about his music Tommy said that, "I want to be an inspiration, a risk taker, and an envelope pusher. I want to excite people about music; the way it grabbed me as a kid." Tommy's latest release Welcome to the Rest of Your Life is filled with a power pop/rock mixture style of music that deals with adulthood and relationship type issues. The mostly guitar lead songs are a mixture of upbeat rockers and melodic ballad type tracks. Tommy's vocals have a touch of gruffness to them that fits well with the song subjects found on this release. The song lyrics deal a lot with being tired of the cheating and lies that are found in bad relationships. The song "Goin' Solo," an acoustic ballad, probably says it best with lyrics like, "...don't let the door hit your ass on your way out, I'm going solo..." My two favorite tracks, "Detour" and "Good to See You" are both guitar filled, drum pounding, up-tempo rockers. Welcome to the Rest of Your Life is a good solid release that I found entertaining. Artist: Lucien Title: Deal With It Website: http://www.luciennocelli.com Style: Guitar Rock Label: Infinite Trend Records Rating: 8.9 out of 10 By Senior Writer C.W. Ross Known simply as Lucien he's more then a musician, he's a showman. His energetic live shows have been referred to as, 'the perfect modern glam rock concert.' Lucien is also in the touring International Beatlemania Stage Production playing the part of John Lennon. He is also an author having penned a guitar book for the advanced player "Modes In Motion," which recently has been republished marking the book's 10th anniversary. What you'll find on Deal With It is a collection of guitar rock songs that pay homage to the past while remaining fresh. Here's what Lucien had to say about it, "I wanted to fulfill the need of classic rock fans who desperately want to buy new recordings of the genre they grew up with. now they can." He continues on, "What I've created is modern classic rock, classic rock for those yearning for it with a modern twist that also tremendously appeals to younger audiences." On this release besides handling lead vocals Lucien also plays all of the instruments including, guitar, bass, drums, percussion, and strings. You'll find guest drummers on 4 of the tracks. Lucien is also joined by his wife Sheri who adds in some harmony and background vocals. This artist picked up his first guitar, a red half sized acoustic that his parents bought him at the age of 5, from that point on he was hooked. Besides a long history playing rock music Lucien also studied jazz guitar those styles along with touches of funk and pop creates his style. While Deal With It is filled with the virtuoso guitar playing of Lucien the song's lyrics refuse to take a back seat. The songs are well written and deal with life related issues in general, both in the present and past. Issues like dealing with things one day at a time, taking the time to slow down and enjoy life, loneliness, childhood memories and what good does war really accomplish to name a few. If you're a fan of guitar music, 70's/80's rock, or just good music then you need to get Lucien's latest release, Deal With It. Artist: Bob Nesom Title: Made in Revere Website: http://www.MadeInRevere.com Style: Rock/Folk Rock/Indie by Staff Writer L. Anne Carrington Imagine this: rock with a brain. This is the general description of Bob Nesom, a singer/ songwriter/ instrumentalist from the sea-side city of Revere. Recently , Nesom formed a band named Made In Revere and the result is a theme album by the same name. Made In Revere celebrates the group’s love of making music, enduring friendship, and the town that molded them: where forming a rock band with friends and to make some great music doing it. Nesom's music brings a listener to many emotional levels. From the first listen, I had found myself appreciating the great lyrics and rhythms. The album celebrates growing up in Revere with music from the ‘60s thru the ‘80s. Of particular interest to the listener will be the guest musicians that collaborated with Made in Revere on their album, local rock guitarist Dana West, along with blues singer Jean Ellsworth. Made in Revere is a trip through nostalgia, with a bit of modern fun blended in. Check it out, and enjoy the trip down memory lane! Artist: Rob Saffi and the Odd Breed Title: Rob Saffi and the Odd Breed Website: http://www.robsaffi.com MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/robsaffi Style: Rock/ Blues Rating: 9 out of 10 By Senior Writer C.W. Ross Rob Saffi and the Odd Breed is, Rob Saffi (vocals, guitars), Stu Weinberg (bass), and Darrell Long (drums). Saffi began taking the stage in Providence, RI in 2003 garnering regional success before deciding in 2005 to move to New York City. Once there he started playing on street corners and subway platforms before becoming a regular on the West Village's music scene headlining at local haunts like, The Bitter End, Kenny's Castaways, and The Lions Den. Rob Saffi and the Odd Breed play a blend of rock n' roll with a blues side. The 9 songs found on this the self-titled debut release from the band feature really interesting guitar parts and song arrangements. The lyrics are real life and deal with hope and false hopes that some people have dreamed up in their minds. Saffi's vocals are gritty and have a earned street cred to them. When asked about the album, "Starting out," Saffi says, "I knew I wanted out of my hometown, and there was more to life than I saw there, but that was about as far as I thought it out. So I moved (to New York), picked up odd jobs, played where I could, and wrote under streetlamps, trying to find my voice and where I fit. This album is what I wrote under those streetlamps. This album is that voice." This isn't fancy music this is dirt under your fingernails style of music that's real and hits a home run. Do yourself a big favor and get this release soon. Artist: Officer Roseland Title: Blast-Off for Kicksville Website: http://officerroseland.com MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/officerroseland Style: Rock/ Pop Punk Rating: 7.95 out of 10 By Senior Writer C.W. Ross Officer Roseland is a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania band that plays a blend of rock that has many influences including, funk, punk, jazz, soul and country. The band's lineup is, Dan Daidone (vocals, bass), Brian Jones (guitar, keyboards), Harry Grannis (bass, guitar), and John Ilisco Jr. (drums, percussion). The 10-tracks found on Blast-Off for Kicksville are for the most part upbeat and filled with little nuances and arrangements that are fresh and keep you guessing in which direction their going. The band pulls on a wide variety of musical styles blending them together to create a familiar yet with something a little bit different end sound. The band has an offbeat sense of humor that run like a thread throughout the song's lyrics. Stylistically several of the songs like "Juggler's Despair" have a definite Talking Heads feel to them. The release ends with the two songs, "Farmer Brown (No2)" and "Cookie Puss," that have a touch of a rockabilly flavor to them. The band's music has been played on the TV channel's- Comedy Central, The Weather Channel, and PBS. Blast-Off for Kicksville, was released in January 2007 and the band already has plans to enter the studio in March to start work on their next release. If you're in Puerto Rico the band will be playing several live shows there in February. I found Officer Roseland's music to be entertaining and look forward to hearing the musical treasures that will be found in their next release. Artist: Midnight Falling Title: Beautiful Pearl Website: http://www.midnightfalling.com/ MySpace: www.myspace.com/midnightmusiconline Style: Progressive/ Hard Rock Label: Midnight Music Online Publishing Rating: 8.3 out of 10 By Senior Writer C.W. Ross The band hails for Manchester, New Hampshire. At the time of recording Beautiful Pearl the band was made up of only two members, Stacey Scerbo (lead vocals) and Silvio Giarratana (all instruments and some vocals). Since then the band has added two new members, Sebastian Schmidt (drums, percussion) and Billy Mitchell (bass). The new band members were added so that the sound found on Beautiful Pearl could be recreated live. The first thing that struck me when I listened to Beautiful Pearl was its rich full sound. Stacey Scerbo handles all of the lead vocal duties except for on two songs, "Hard, Inflexible" a rock/blues number with a funky bass, and "I'm Dyin' Inside" where Silvio Giarratana handles them. Stacey Scerbo's vocals are gritty and work well with the rock-based songs. They have a Pat Benatar meets Ann Wilson (Heart) tone to them. Silvio Giarratana knows how to handle a guitar, from wailing hard rock to Texas blues riffs he makes it sing with joy with each new chord he hits. The band's songs deal with life, both the good and bad parts of it. The band shows their more mellow side with the title cut rock ballad, "Beautiful Pearl". For a debut release this band really has all of their cards in order and comes out of the starting gate at full speed. I'm sure that we'll be hearing a lot more from them now and well into the future. Artist: Girls Don't Cry Title: 3 Song Promo Website: http://www.girlsdontcry.com MySpace: www.myspace.com/officialgirlsdontcry Style: Rock/Pop/Electronica Label: Flatiron Rock Rating: 8.1 out of 10 By Senior Writer C.W. Ross Girls Don't Cry, as you might expect from the name, is made up of five female members, Liz Kelly (drums, vocals), Rachael Cornick (keys, vocals), Hannah Fairlight (guitars, vocals), Caitlin Gray (bass, vocals), and Sora-An (guitars, vocals) . The band has been playing in clubs and venues located throughout the New York City nightlife honing their skills. This three-song promo gives a good snack sized bit of their music. The band says that the three songs found on it are, "Our favorites from over a year and a half of hard work." The band pulls on several musical styles to create their sound. Track-1 "American Boy," starts out with a Jimi Hendrick's-esque acid rock guitar riff before quickly breaking into a dance pop groove. Track-2 "That's The Sound" is a keyboard rich new wave feeling track with several tempo changes in it. The last track, "Cobain," is an all out rocker with its guitar lead driving beats. If you're into a Violent Femmes meets the The Go Go's sound then Girls Don't Cry is the band for you. Artist: Salsa Windfall (A Joe DeRosa Side Project) Title: TwoInTheOneInThe Website: http://cdbaby.com/cd/salsawindfall Style: Rock/pop By Staff Writer L. Anne Carrington Two guys, one now a New Orleans chef, and the other now a New York City stand up comedian, backed by a full band, combine many music styles on songs about food, sex and life. Salsa Windfall is one of two main musical side projects fronted by successful NYC “Cringe” standup comedian and radio personality Joe DeRosa. The title of the album stemmed from the fact that Salsa’s guitarist Paul Chell and DeRosa had a fascination about expressions people used in everyday conversation. The expression of “two in the pink and one in the stink” also inspired the album’s cover, the front being solid pink and the back solid brown. TwoInTheOneInThe has eleven songs that may border on the bizarre, but at the same time, they are also fun, which is usually the intended purpose of what can be best described as a tongue in cheek approach. The songs are also Ween and Zappa influenced, moving through different genres of music; the shy approach of the songs may bring a chuckle or two, but at the same time, some of them are meant to be serious. For music buffs looking for something a bit different from the same drivel, TwoInTheOneInThe could be a solution to add a bit of needed variety to an otherwise dull music collection. This CD is definitely not one that should be overlooked. Artist: Various Artists Title: More Barn: A Tribute to Neil Young Website: http://slothtrop.com/cd_barn.html Style: Rock/Folk By Staff Writer L. Anne Carrington Three years in the making, More Barn: A Tribute to Neil Young benefits the. Bridge School of San Francisco, which was founded by Neil Young. The CD will not only bring more attention to the school and its purpose, but also celebrates the diversity of performances of each artist interpreting Young's work. As noted, More Barn features covers of some of Young’s greatest works by a gathering of very good musicians who are not afraid to give to a classic song a new lease on life. Despite being Young’s songs, each performer has made it their own. Young himself was a crossover artist before the term was even known; a revolutionary songsmith going on several generations now, he has always made the kind of music people listened to for hours during their early years. More Barn is titled after a story told by Young collaborator and friend Graham Nash, who recounted that Young once rowed him out on the lake at his ranch to hear some music. Young had wired his house as the left speaker and his barn as the right. When his sound engineer yelled from shore, "How is it?" Young hollered back, "More barn!" The album features the Mark Croft version of "Heart of Gold," which was recorded in the summer of 2005. There are also outstanding tracks by artists like Steve Wynn, the Silos. Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers even chipped in by writing the liner notes. The diversity of the tracks is refreshing, more importantly are the artists, who infuse each song with passion. Out of all the tribute CD’s that are out there, this is perhaps the best one I have heard in many years. To add More Barn to your tribute album collection (or even start a tribute album collection), visit any Starbucks, the above website, or the CDBaby website at http://cdbaby.com/cd/morebarn . Artist: Vary Lumar Title: Waiting Room Website: http://www.varylumar.com MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/varylumar Style: Rock Rating: 8.4 out of 10 By Senior Writer C.W. Ross Vary Lumar was formed in 2004 by Paul De Pasquale (vocals, guitar), and Rob Fusco (drums, fx). Later Ben Case (guitar, effects), and Rob Laff (bass) joined to round out the quartet. Waiting Room is the band's debut release and the follow up to their EP The Cold Heart Bru Hah Hah released in 2006. Vary Lumar's music seems to be following a growing trend of taking rock music and stretching its boundaries to create unique new styles of the genre. On Waiting Room they take a base of rock and add in progressive and modern rock elements along with psychedelic and experimental to achieve their band's style of rock music. The band refers to their music style as being 'Pre- Apocalyptic Psychedelic Rock.' When asked about their material band member Paul De Pasquale described it as being, "Watercolor Chaos." The band's music is driven by wailing guitars and drum beats that like to run free in the songs, along with the occasional sound effect added in to give the songs that little extra punch. The band likes to use repetitive chords along with repeated vocals that add an almost echoing effect to the songs. While most of the songs have driving tempos the band also mixes in the occasional more melodic track for a change of pace along with several instrumental tracks. The band has a lot to say and gets a lot of it off of their chest in the 13 tracks found on Waiting Room. Overall Waiting Room is a solid release that offers a lot for the listener to take in while still rocking your socks off. Artist: Shadows Lie Title: Echoes Website: http://www.shadowslie.com MySpace: myspace.com/wheretheshadowslie Style: Alternative/Rock/Electronica Label: Tech-9 Music Rating: 9 out of 10 By Senior Writer C.W. Ross The main part of Shadows Lie is made up of Kira Leigh (vocals) and Cary Tamura (guitar, bass, programming). Cary Tamura (CT) also produced, engineered, and mixed Echoes. At their live shows Shadows Lie is also joined with the additions of Frank Grullon (guitar), and Marco Britti (drums). Echoes is the band's 2007 debut LP. On it you'll find a mixture of both melodic, acoustic ballad like songs along with more dark heavy gothic filling tracks. This wide range of styles can also be found in their eclectic list of musical influences that include, Tori Amos, Incubus, Portishead, Bjork, Alice in Chains, Massive Attack, Morcheeba, Ani Difranco, Tool, Korn, and Sevendust. Two things run throughout the entire15-tracks, just under one hour of music, found on Echoes. First is the near flawless vocals provided by the band vocalist Kira Leigh. Her vocals are always on pitch along with a very impressive vocal range. Whether soft and sweet enough to send a diabetic patient into a comma or hard and raw enough to wake the dead the sultry piercing blue-eyed Kira Leigh's vocals grab your attention and don't let go. Second is the guitar and electronic elements found in the songs provided by Cary Tamura. With such prominent vocal parts Cary is still able to bring the guitar and electronic elements to the forefront holding their own in the songs adding fresh spice-like elements. With Echoes Shadows Lie shows that they have what it takes to rise above the musical pack in the hard nosed music savvy New York City music scene. How much do I like them? You'll find them featured on our site! Artist: Laurel Title: Sweet Insanity Website: http://www.laurelbuzz.com MySpace: http://www.myspace,com/laurelmusic CDBaby: http://cdbaby.com/cd/laurelpop Label: Harbar Records Style: Rock Rating: 8.5 out of 10 By Senior Writer C.W. Ross Sweet Insanity is the latest release from Laurel Barineau, a sultry singer, with slightly raspy vocals that you'll be amazed by when you hear them. Laurel belts out songs that range from, pop, rock, and dance to the blues with soulful vocals. I like the way she's described on her MySpace page, "Sounds Like: If Etta James, Melissa Etheridge, Bonnie Raitt, and Rod Stewart had a foursome, Laurel would be their illegitimate child." The entire band lineup is, Laurel (lead vocals), Jason Barbee (lead guitar), Nick Nolden (bass guitar/vocals), Mike Cash (drums/vocals), Bull Durham (keys/vocals). It all starts off with the rocking track, "Rain Down" that besides Laurel's great smoking vocals also offers some nice guitar parts including a solo at the 3:40 point in the song. This song and many of the others also have a really nice bass line running through them. Track-6 "It's Not Over (When You Go)" is another nice track that features the sultry side of Laurel's vocals along with some nice saxophone all set to against an R&B lounge feel. Track-9 "Back to Innocence" goes down the club sound route with its pumped up bass beats that made my stereo speakers rattle. Sweet Insanity ends with "Right Outside Your Door," a melodic type ballad that features some real nice vocal harmonies. Sweet Insanity features high-energy songs filled with Laurel's vocals that have a sensual playfulness to them. This is one very talented singer who can do it all from soulful blues to ripping rock lyrics. Do yourself a favor and get Laurel Barineau's Sweet Insanity release.