“Tony Salomone taps into a rich vein of rock history to give us ‘Daylight.’ The infectious beat and steady vocal delivery is almost timeless in sound and style yet the track has a decided contemporary vibe and verve. Pure Rock and Roll with an edge and vocal groove that sticks in your ears long after the last note. ”
“The HawtThorns are led by the musical talent of wife and husband duo of KP and Johnny Hawthorn. The sound is tough to put in any one genre. Americana probably works best though there are hints of 90’s Country, West Coast singer/songwriter vibes, and even a touch of acoustic Pop.
’All The Right Reasons’ is about looking back and realizing that person you badly wanted and needed isn’t right for you so it is a blessing that things didn’t work out.” ”
“I like how the track has a Pop syth vibe for a few beats before it delves into a 90’s Rock vibe. Clean, deliberate vocals deliver the lyrical side of the track that fits the 90s sound quite well. Good clean music always works, and yes this feels like a throwback in some ways, but Eurotripp manages to accomplish that without feeling dated or derivative. ”
“A disintegrating relationship is brought into focus through this track by shining a spotlight on ‘That Dress.’
The ups and downs of love and the writing on the wall of the end is tinged blue by a spectacular dress that Bryce Drew sings about with passion and heart. The unique perspective, and Drew’s vocal power carries the day and makes the song stand out from the crowd of other tracks covering the same set of emotions. ”
“Caroline Romano is a force, an Alt-Pop star on the rise, and one hell of a songwriter. We have featured Romano on several occasion though ‘Girl in a China Shop’ might be her best work to date.
A track of self awareness and staring in the mirror o face the facts. THis is something we all need to do time to time and now we have a soundtrack when we want to cut the bullshit and be real to ourselves. ”
“Comparing yourself to others, and even worse, the social media persona of people pretending their world is perfect is a dangerous thing. ‘Jealous’ is about those feelings of envy we’ve all had when looking at other peoples looks, relationships, and experiences. But we never know the full story or picture as outsiders, and chances are they are jealous of us in some way as well.
Rachel Newnham delivers the track is perfect Pop glory.”
“The track takes off with the chorus and is carried throughout by M’Lynn’s strong emotive vocal delivery. ‘Better Me’ is a soulful R&B groove about honing in on yourself and your needs to be the best version of yourself.”
“Jaydii kicks off the first verse on ‘Hot Soup’ before Supreme Khay comes in witht he hook and later verses. THe high-energy track feels like vintage Beastie Boys mixed with some Wu Tang funk and quirk. Both flows are delivered with an engaging tone and verve that refuses to let you off the hook.”
“Leo and The Lioness bill this calm, tranquil track as a Christmas song and it certainly has the peace, love and happiness vibe that the holidays install. However, ‘Only Love’ is universal’ and applies to every day and season of the year. Sure the track mentions Christmas but really it felt bigger than that for me.
The vocals are tight and kept me leaning in on the lyrical build. A song of hope and love. ”
“Queer Garage Rock influenced by a blend of the 90s Indie sound, old school Punk, and a splash of contemporary Pop. If that sounds like a musical smoothie that you’d like to taste straight from from the blender then let me introduce you to the Razor Braids.
The band’s press release describes them as ... a Brooklyn-based, queer, female and non-binary identifying rock band that combines a heavy punk energy with an indie rock vulnerability culminating in passionate live shows and a dynamic sound anchored in a 90s alternative ethos.
That discriptionis apt but might play the soft Pop vocals that are a big part of the track ‘She,’ a song about being present and allowing yourself to die headfirst when you spot that person that you believe is perfect for you. ”
“True Rock and Roll ain’t’ dead, but it is real damn hard to find.
The glory days of Whisky a Go-Go and the other iconic venues along the Sunset Strip might be behind us, but Thorslund keeps the Hollywood tradition of spawning hard rock with an edge alive and well.
Thorslund does a damn good job of living up to the reputation of LA rockers.
’Firecracker Man’ is a hard charging rock song that works today and would have put them in elite status back in ‘85. Let’s hope they usher in a new era and find the broader audience they deserve so while appeasing the Rock Gods happy with their in your face sound.”
“I might not be the target audience here, but clever, intelligent writing stands out just the same. This Electro Pop track is defiant and razor sharp in wit, but still fun and entertaining. The vocals and musical arrangement work well to bring out the stellar writing and I couldn’t help but smile and nod as I listened to Abigail Barlow define a new brand of princess or perhaps welcome the role of sultry villainess seductress. You pick.
Look for Barlow’s solo debut album Pop Princess to drop in 2024.”
“True happiness is unattainable until a person can be happy by themselves. In other words if you don’t like you it doesn’t really matter how the world sees you.
’Know Me Better’ is an autobiographical song inspired by the question ... ‘What would dance music for introverts sound like?’
The result is a simultaneously chill and upbeat song that clearly has one foot in pop and one foot in electronic. Instead of dancing in the club, the song feels like dancing like no one is watching alone in your bedroom. Or jumping on your bed as an adult. It dives into the feeling of healing from being codependent, finally genuinely loving to spend time by yourself, and following your heart to see where it leads you.”
“K Hella drops this energetic and well-written flow that keeps the listener leaning in to hear what comes next.
The hook is a smooth groove that lands between hip-Hop and R&B and overall this track works on the emotive delivery which makes me believe every last word.
Contemporary Rap done right. ”
“The Lockyer Boys have a feel-good, vibrant Pop track with ‘DRIVE!’ The vocals are tight and energetic and that carries the day. The track is glossy and probably skews to a younger audience given it feels a bit Disney-esque in its sound and writing. Clean cut and shiny. A track aimed at the masses. ”
“After almost a decade break from the scene, Grammy-award winning singer-songwriter Rob Giles is back with a mediative and tranquil track to lead off things for his 5th studio album.
’Some Stars’ is about shining for yourself and those and not letting others demand you illuminate the path for theme or that you simply shine brighter. It is a track about the beauty of humanity and recognizing we each are but a small part of that puzzle. ”
“Mae Krell unfurls this slow tempo track with an emotive and tender vocal delivery. A track that paints a picture and leaves the listener the mental space to conjure up their own emotional remembrances. This is the type f track best listened to alone when yo can simply allow your mind to fall back and reflect. ”
“Sadly many realtionships are lopsided in that one side is forced to wrk way harder than the other. ‘Beg’ from Joan & The Giants takes onthat phenomenon and digs in emotionally. The track had a vintage Fleetwood Mac vibe for me and is best summed up by the artist.
Reflecting on the origins of ‘Beg’, Grace Newton-Wordsworth shared, “‘Beg’ was written about a breaking point in my own relationship where we had two choices: either fight to make it work, or it’s over. You shouldn’t have to beg for someone’s love, and this song is about those last moments when you really don’t want to walk away from the person you love most in this world, but everything in your body and soul is telling you, you might have to.”
The track feels true and genuine in every way.”
“Sometimes the creator of a track articulates their intent in a way I never could. That is the case with Kat Cunning and her single, ‘Bedroom Angel.’
”When I wrote Bedroom Angel I imagined being closeted in a small town and praying at the foot of my bed for some sapphic apparition to burst through the ceiling and show me the way. I hope this song serves as redemption and celebration bursting through your ceiling to give you that same nudge toward owning what you want and who you are. Queer people are angels, pleasure is political, and you are my favorite ghost.” - Kat
This track is delivered with smooth silky vocals that emote the passion behind the writing, creating a meaningful and entertaining song.”
“A true 80’s throwback, HAHA delivers despite making, ‘No Promises.’
The smooth vocal harmonies and lyrical wordplay is fun and evocative at the same time. The 80s might be gone but the music continues to inspire and live on and this danceable track is full of nostalgia for that era but still works as a contemporary track lyrically.”