Tuesday, September 23, 2008

“Ride” by Kyle Hunt (Country Artist from Texas(TX))

"Ride" is the impressive sophomore effort of Texas country rock outfit Kyle Hunt Band. The band plays standard country rock instruments – drum, bass, acoustic and electric guitar. They are a very tight band and create solid arrangements. Kyle Hunt attributes an excellent country vocal reminiscent of Pat Green and Bob Seger that well-fits the arrangements. The resulting songs have a lot of energy and extreme danceability as Hunt sings about riding motorcycles, honky tonks, drinking, and women. "Ride" is well-produced and ready for radio airplay, which it has already received throughout the state of Texas. "Drinkin' Class" is a fun song about blue collar work, going to bars afterwards, the class unity that bars bring and features great lyrics and instrumentation. "Queen of the Honky Tonks" is the first single off of "Ride" and already receiving radio play, it features a great blues rock arrangement, fun lyrics, and a catchy chorus. Overall, "Ride" is a great album for a honky tonk/party atmosphere worthy of radio play on country radio stations throughout the U.S. Fans of country rock and superb male country vocals should check out the Kyle Hunt Band.
-Chris & the RadioIndy.com Reviewer Team
Check out Kyle Hunt Band 's music on RadioIndy.com with link to purchase and links to popular sites

“Crows” by James Moore (Folk Artist from New Jersey(NJ))

"Crows" is a great four-track EP that nicely fuses folk with alt-country from New Jersey singer/songwriter James Moore. Drawing from a variety of influences, Moore creatively and skillfully blends slide guitar with great folk guitar work, great guitar and drum rhythms, and sincere lyrics. At his vocal best, Moore sounds like Jim James from My Morning Jacket, but he has such a range that he is also reminiscent of David Gray. His lyrics are honest, personal, and often saddening, well-suiting the arrangements and vocal styling. Though "Crows" was recorded by Moore on a digital four-track, it sounds impeccably clean. The title track, "Crows," has a nice acoustic and drum arrangement, a superb Jim James-esque delivery from Moore, and great lyrics. "One Way To You" is the type of song you might sway to at a concert, holding a lighter high in the air and features a great vocal delivery and heartfelt lyrics against a slow acoustic progression. Overall, "Crows" is well done, its four tracks leaving you anticipating what Moore could do with a full length release. Fans of folk, alt-country, and talented singer/songwriters should check out James Moore.
-Chris & the RadioIndy.com Reviewer Team
Check out James Moore 's music on RadioIndy.com with link to purchase and links to popular sites

“Leg Man” by Rick Ryman (Country Artist from Tennessee (TN))

"Leg Man" is the impressive debut from Tennessee country musician Rick Ryman. Ryman sings true-to-life songs with a great country vocal reminiscent of Dwight Yokum. The arrangements are in the traditional country style, filled with slide and acoustic guitar, violin, banjo, thumping bass lines, and toe-tapping drum beats. Ryman is a great storyteller, and he weaves stories into his work both sad and humorous as he sings about being a trucker, faith, working, and women. "Leg Man" is well-produced, sounds professional and is radio-friendly. The title track, "Leg Man," has nice slide guitar and drum work, a catchy chorus, and humorous lyrics about trucking and checking out women. "You're It" is an upbeat track with a violin, drum, bass, and banjo arrangement, great lyrics of childhood and growing up, and a heartfelt chorus. "Leg Man" is truly a triumphant debut for Rick Ryman. Its solid arrangements, true-to-life lyrics, great vocals and styling is impressive and ready for the mainstream. Fans of traditional country should definitely look into Ryman.
-Chris & the RadioIndy.com Reviewer Team
Check out Rick Ryman's music on RadioIndy.com with link to purchase and links to popular sites

Sunday, September 21, 2008

"Meow Mix" by The Catillacs (Rock/Country Artist from Washington)

Portland, Oregon trio The Catillacs have come with their claws out on their excellent debut album, "Meow Mix." Guitarist Richie Bean, drummer Susan Costa, and bassist George Burton performed on and produced the entire album, skillfully jumping between and combining Americana, rock, alt-country, blues, honky tonk, and surf rock genres. The entire album features nice musical layering, excellently crafted guitar solos from Bean, and great toe-tapping beats from Costa. The vocals are consistent with the genres and reminiscent of classic artists like Creedence Clearwater Revival, Neil Young, and Canned Heat, adding a certain timelessness to their sound. The lyrics vary as well, from dark lyrics about death and exacting revenge to sappy love ballads to just plain fun upbeat songs about living. The Catillacs self-produced "Meow Mix," and it sounds excellent and professionally done. "Boogaloo" is a great introductory track with a fun upbeat voodoo blues sound, a great hook, and superb guitar work. "True Love Figurine" is a Chicago blues track with a New Orleans flavor that features great storytelling lyrics and a great blues arrangement. With their dynamic musical arrangements and timeless sound, the cats and Catillacs alike will be happy to know that "Meow Mix" has delivered. Fans of Americana, blues, and classic rock should certainly pick up The Catillacs' debut.
-Ross & the RadioIndy.com Reviewer Team
Check out the Catillacs's music on RadioIndy.com with link to purchase and links to popular sites

Thursday, September 11, 2008

“Unknown Man” by Roger and the Rockets (Country Artist from Sweeden)

"Unknown Man" is a great upbeat, eighteen track alt-country album from Swedish outfit Roger and the Rockets. Led by phenomenal singer/songwriter Roger Häggström, Roger and the Rockets have created a solid album that draws from the roots Americana, Irish folk, blues, and bluegrass genres. The arrangements are driven by toe-tapping drum beats, nice bass lines, soaring guitars, and great musical additions including violin, banjo, mandolin, harmonica, hand claps, and group vocals. Roger's delivery is with a unique country vocal, refreshing and a great match for the arrangements. The songs are fun and upbeat featuring imaginative and meaningful lyrics about trying to understand women, hope, lonesomeness, and politics. "Unknown Man" is well-produced and sounds nothing but clean and professional. "Out of This Place" has a nice arrangement with a great drum beat and exceptional mandolin and acoustic guitar work and a great group vocal on the catchy chorus. "I Got Hope" is a political track about "hope for a better world" with a great arrangement, thought-provoking lyrics, and more great group vocals. "What a Ride" is a bluesy track featuring harmonica, a classic blues arrangement, and more great lyrics. With "Unknown Man," singer/songwriter Roger Häggström and his backing band, the Rockets, have composed an excellent and original album sure to be met with worldwide acclaim. Fans of upbeat country-lenient alt-country should definitely give Roger and the Rockets a listen.
-Chris & the RadioIndy.com Review Team
Check out Roger and the Rockets's music on RadioIndy.com with link to purchase and links to popular sites

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

“Contemporary Country Classics, Volume 3” by Distillery Dave (Country Artist from Ohio(OH))

"Contemporary Country Classics, Volume 3" is the third installment of singer/professor Distillery Dave's covers of classic country songs that bridge the gap between traditional and contemporary country music. Distillery Dave fashions his sound with crooning vocals at once similar to Conway Twitty and George Strait and layered arrangements with piano, steel guitar, violin, and great backing female vocals. Many of these elements are true to the traditional country form, through Dave adds modern elements with contemporary arrangements and rock-influenced guitar solos. The lyrics these classics offer are timeless, witty and clever, often adding an aura of humor to otherwise sad songs about love and heartbreak, loneliness and drinking. The production quality of "Contemporary Country Classics, Volume 3" sounds great and professional, simultaneously true to the traditional and modern country sounds. "Somebody's Needin' Somebody" opens the album with a song popularized by Conway Twitty featuring that subtle interplay of witty humor and sadness, great vocal layering and backing female vocals, and a catchy chorus. "That's the Way Love Goes" is a song about finding and keeping love popularized by Merle Haggard that invokes cliché images of luckiness – horseshoes, rainbows, four-leaf clovers. Overall, "Contemporary Country Classics, Volume 3" is a solid and enjoyable album that takes country classics and intelligently refashions them to combine traditional country music with contemporary country music. Fans of either of these genres interested in witnessing their interplay should give Distillery Dave a listen.
-RadioIndy Review Team
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“Waiting To Fall” by Low Rent (Country Artist from Australia)

"Waiting To Fall" is an excellent debut EP that uniquely blends alt-country with folk from Melbourne, Australia's Low Rent. Low Rent is headed by singer/songwriter and guitarist Dan Swan, but the full sound is fully captured only with the assistance of some of Melbourne's finest musicians. By throwing piano, organ, harmonica, mandolin, steel guitar, bass, and drums into the mix, Low Rent have created five alt-country/folk gems that you will not soon tire of. Swan's vocal performance blends a great country twang with his natural Aussie accent, resulting in a high-pitched delivery great for the genres he captures with the arrangements. "Waiting To Fall" is filled with interesting sound effects, build ups and stellar, heartfelt songwriting. It is well-recorded and, not unlike the musicians themselves, sounds absolutely professional. "Sundays Rain" introduces the EP with a slow build featuring great acoustic and piano work, then moves into a great full alt-country arrangement. "My Only" closes the EP out with nice acoustic guitar work, a great vocal performance from Swan and the female backing vocalist, and more great emotive lyrics. "Waiting To Fall" is overall an excellent EP that leaves the listener in eager anticipation for what Low Rent's debut full-length will have to offer. Fans of alt-country and folk, check out Dan Swan and Low Rent.
-Chris & the RadioIndy.com Review Team
Check out Low Rent's music on RadioIndy.com with link to purchase and links to popular sites

“You're Really Bugging Me Now” by Clint Morgan (Country Artist from Texas (TX))

"You're Really Bugging Me Now" is an excellent piano blues/country gospel album from Clint Morgan, a talented musician with a great sense of humor. The entire album breathes Morgan's personality by combining secular and non-secular songs, Morgan's takes on gospel classics, and intelligently humorous songs about women and Wal-Mart. The arrangements center around Morgan's intricate piano work true to the blues, early rock & roll, and boogie woogie genres, though they also feature nice beats and some great blues guitar work. Morgan's vocals on the country gospel tracks are reminsicent to the crooning bass vocals of Johnny Cash, while the blues tracks sound like a fusion between Cash and Stevie Ray Vaughn. "You're Really Bugging Me Now" is well-produced, and it sounds polished and ready for extended play. "The Wonder of You" is a blues rock track with a great arrangement featuring organ, piano, guitar solos and some great, humorous lyrics about married life. "Garbage Man" immediately follows the standard gospel track "Just A Closer Walk With Thee" and features hilarious lyrics about Morgan's wife running around with the garbage man and the milk man and has an excellent piano solo. "You're Really Bugging Me Now" is a great album from an extremely interesting personality and should be picked up by any piano blues fan.
-Chris & the RadioIndy.com Review Team
Check out Clint Morgan 's music on RadioIndy.com with link to purchase and links to popular sites

“Remnants of Isadore” by Remnants of Isadore (Country Artist from Ohio(OH))

"Remnants of Isadore" is the excellent self-titled, alt-country debut from singer/songwriter Ernie Arroyo and Remnants of Isadore. Think early Wilco meets Nickelcreek. Arroyo is the brainchild of Remnants of Isadore, but this album could not have been made had it not been for the plethora of talented Cleveland-area musicians Arroyo recruited to give the album its full sound. Together, they channel a number of genres – alt-country, Americana, rock, jam, blues, and Latin, while incorporating the fiddle, organ, mandolin, horns, steel guitar, Latin guitar, great bass lines, and excellent finger picking guitar to create eleven solid arrangements. True to the Wilco/Nickelback fusion, Arroyo's vocals are quite similar to Wilco's Jeff Tweedy – raspy, raw, and great for the genre. The arrangements are mostly upbeat while the lyrics range from sad topics like waiting on porches and drinking thoughts away in corner bars, to optimistic outlooks on love and everyday life. This self-titled album is well-produced and gives the record a full, professional sound. "Georgia Man" has a great arrangement, beginning with an attention-grabbing drum introduction, followed by the incorporation of the Hammond organ, a melodic sound, and sweet lyrics. "Roses in Conflict" is a song about seeing a lost love and has another great arrangement featuring Latin guitar, a driving bass line, and a horn section. Through the striking lyrics and Tweedy-esque vocals of Eddie Arroyo, and the contributions of Cleveland's finest musicians, Remnants of Isadore have created an excellent album you will not soon tire of. Fans of alt-country and great musical collaboration should most certainly pick up "Remnants of Isadore."
-Chris & the RadioIndy.com Review Team
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“Every Day's a Holiday” by Loren Davidson (Soft Rock/Country Artist from San Francisco, California (CA))

"Every Day's a Holiday" is an entertaining trop rock album from beach-dweller and singer/songwriter Loren Davidson. The album is filled with upbeat, fun lyrics and a great island feel by way of steel drums, shakers, and horns. Davidson's third release is true to the trop rock precedent set by Jimmy Buffett. The songs on this album center around overcoming life's obstacles and learning to relax instead of feeling overwhelmed. Davidson's lyrics are positive, clever, and they involve a good deal of beach imagery, island metaphors, and the enjoyment of an alcoholic beverage. "Every Day's a Holiday" is well-produced and the album sounds very clean and professionally done. "Going Coastal" is a play on the phrase "going postal", and through quirky lyrics, offers an alternative to it – namely, getting "cured by a week by the sea." "I Need a Weekend (to Recover From My Weekend)" is another humorous track about hangovers, having the case of the Mondays, and the instinct to throw your boss out the window. Overall, Loren Davidson has crafted an immensely entertaining album about how a day on the beach can alleviate the tensions and challenges of every day life. Fans of trop rock, throw on a Hawaiian shirt and give this album a listen.
-Chris & the RadioIndy.com Review Team
Check out Loren Davidson's music on RadioIndy.com with link to purchase and links to popular sites