Category Archives: Album Review

01.13.23
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Veteran Hong Kong Singer Songwriter, Music Producer, and  TV Presenter Chet Lam Shares His Newest Storied Album

Storyteller Chet Lam spent his childhood in Hong Kong’s gritty, inner city housing complexes with very little resources. As a gay kid growing up in a humble environment while trying to figure out where he fit in, he found solace in the poignant and poetic outlaw and brokenhearted narratives of 1970s Americana and country artists.

Chet also saw in USA roots music similarities with Chinese pop, as both brimmed with strong melodies, sensitive stories, and careful attention to lyrical detail. Now, after becoming a highly-respected artist in the Asian market, Chet hopes to bring a heartfelt fusion of East-West pop sensibilities to the Western Hemisphere.

“From a young age, I knew I was different, and it felt like music was a way out. Songs by Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell, and Emmylou Harris were my escape and my education,” the globally-based artist says. “I noticed their theme of thriving in the face of hardships to also be very present in Chinese pop music.”

The globally renowned Asian pop and folk singer/songwriter recently released his newest folk pop album Back to the Stars Again, inspired by the world renowned and deeply loved classic book The Little Prince. The book turned 76 years old in 2022 and has been published in 250 languages. To this day, it remains poignant as it tells the story of a young prince who comes to multiple planets throughout the universe including earth and it touches on themes of love, loss, loneliness and friendship.

“I was always fascinated by the simplicity and the depth of this French classic,” says Chet. “I wrote these songs from the perspective of each character. The Little Prince is a romantic, of course, The Fox is simply a drama queen, The Rose is spoiled, The Ghosts are actually everyday people, The Snake is innocent… all characters coming together will be a life lived to the fullest.”

His unique and signature sense of storytelling draws from Leonard Cohen and Joni Mitchell, but it’s also quite similar to James Taylor or Simon and Garfunkel, the latter can also be heard in his voice. He blends folk tradition with pop ideas of synthetic sounds and tones to create a sense of aethereal space and airy melodies. He beautifully tells the story from different perspectives which provides a fresh take on the classic.

Connect with Chet Lam

Website / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Spotify / Soundcloud

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12.23.22
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The Dorons Share Their New Alternative Rock Album, ‘The Doronic Verses’

The 4 piece Providence, Rhode Island-based alternative rock band The Dorons, have just released their debut contemporary rock album, The Doronic Verses.

The Rosenfield family makes up The Dorons, features mom Janice on drums, dad Norman on lead guitar, older brother Aryeh on bass, and younger brother Yosef on lead vocals and guitar. The band came together back in 2017 when Aryeh, then a music major in college, had a senior recital and decided to recruit his family to play with him for the occasion. Mom and dad had retired as performing musicians, previously vets of the ’80s and ’90s Boston alt-rock scene. 

The music of the Dorons evokes contemporary folk-rock, singer-songwriter, and alt-rock styles with searing lead guitar playing, impassioned vocals, sage and sensitive lyrics, earworm hooks, and a stirring acoustic-rock foundation. Their songs also contain nuanced rhythm section interplay. The band’s evocative name is fascinatingly layered. It references the Doors and the bittersweet minor scale, the Dorian mode, plus it hilariously rhymes with “morons.” Additionally, the word “dor” in Hebrew means “generation,” which speaks to the multigenerational nature of the band.

The Doronic Verses is a tight 11-song album of carefully crafted contemporary rock, shaded with singer-songwriter intimacy, country flourishes, and blues-rock urgency. The acoustic-rocker song “This New Poison” is a freshly penned original written by Yosef and Janice, and it boasts a Greta Van Fleet-esque swagger, replete with smoldering bluesy lead guitar. The catchy pop rock tune “Not the Usual Fare” features acoustic guitar layered with chiming electric guitar, along with overlapping “call-and-response” backing vocals. “I wrote that song years ago about my brother, who was autistic, during a time when society and the medical profession didn’t understand the condition. He was a beautiful soul and loved music, and he ended up being institutionalized,” Janice says.

Connect with The Dorons via:

Website / Instagram / Facebook / Twitter / YouTube / Spotify

11.29.22
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South Africa’s Bad Knights Share Their New Alternative Rock Album

Bad Knights are the South African alternative and soft rock band making waves with their poignant debut album Letters to Everybody.

Bad Knights draws upon life’s raw, messy, and beautiful tales that reveals what we can see in ourselves, that epitomize the human condition in all its brilliance and with all of its flaws. Any story worth telling has both its monsters and its miracles, its joys and its sorrows – a perfect dance between becoming and overcoming. “We long for stories that bring us hope, the ones that remind us that our dreams are powerful and that instill within us the courage to keep moving forward,” shares the band.

Letters to Everybody encapsulates the depth and complexity of human nature and our existence. Lead singer and dummer, Stig, delivers a soulful and Bruce Springsteen meets Eddie Vedder-esqe vocals over blues licks and rising organ choruses with droning synths and explosive drumbeats amid sparkles of angelic backup vocals.

In their debut 15 track first offering, that is as diverse in its genre as it is in its subject matter, Bad Knights presents something instantly gripping while remaining serious, mature, and refined in their expression. The tracks are thoughtfully worded, complex, and meticulously placed. Each component, instrument, and tone plays its role in bringing together a sound that keeps you hooked.

“I’ve played guitar for years, but have no formal music education really, couldn’t read music to save my life,” shares Stig. “I’ve seen more bars under broken neon lights in dodgy towns than I’ve seen bars on music score sheets. But I’ve always liked observing the world, sometimes writing about it, which naturally evolved into song-writing. Music, if anything, presented an avenue to explore a new form of storytelling.” His lack of any background in musical theory, allows for a more free-spirited, almost rebellious approach to song writing and gives Bad Knights it’s unusually unique, musical aura.

Connect with Bad Knights via:
Instagram / Spotify / Soundcloud

11.15.22
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‘Jill’s Psychedelic Sunday’ is Pulp Opera Songwriter Paul Shapera’s Best Yet

Paul Shapera is a pulp opera writer who’s albums span a 180 year period of his fictional city called New Albion. The fantastical story element of his work is what drives the popularity of his music. It’s reminiscent of the old school radio plays, but far more entertaining. “My work is very much like an epic science fiction book series, but told in highly emotive music, like an opera cycle made with various forms of popular music.”

Paul’s newest album, Jill’s Psychedelic Sunday, is a continuation of the character Jill’s story from previous albums, The Dolls of New Albion and The Post Human War series. Differing genres of each album represents a certain time and place within the 180 timespan. Jill’s Psychedelic Playlist explores the many sides of psychedelic music ranging from 60 psych folk to Floyd, 90s rave to jam bands, and creepy tech to Space Rock. Overall, we take a journey with Jill as she takes some sort of psychedelic as part of an initiation ritual.

What makes Jill’s Psychedelic Sunday so unique is that the story is non-linear, unlike Paul’s other albums. You can listen to any song and understand the story because it’s just snapshots of Jill’s wired mind. The spoken snippets in each song guide you so that the listener is never lost, no matter what song you listen to.

“This album more than any other in recent memory was made because it was the album I wanted to listen to,” shares Paul. “Other albums are the story I want to tell right then, or the music that I feel I need to express, or the style I most want to explore. This one was the one I just simply wanted to listen to.

Connect with Paul Shapera via:
Website / Instagram / Facebook / Twitter / YouTube / Spotify / Soundcloud

11.02.22
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The Progressive Rock Fusion Band Siren Share Their New Album ‘Beyond the Rainbow’

American band Siren has released their brand new album Beyond the Rainbow.

This is an album that you can truly become immersed in; raw, authentic, contemporary metal rock. The opening track “Lawless Life” starts with a progressive metal guitar riff. The lyrical “High Wire” and “Sympathetic Response” are more laid-back rock songs, written by Mike and Rob Phillips.

Many songs on this album are unexpected, in the sense that musically it is extremely tight and well written, as well as experimenting with different musical concepts. Siren have really gone the extra mile with this new release. 

¨When we began writing Beyond the Rainbow, we would write as a group with the exception of ‘High Wire.’ ‘Empty Ocean,’ and ‘Sympathetic Response,’ which Mike and I wrote. Normally Mike and I will bring the songs to the band, and let them work out their parts. A process we have gone back to for our upcoming material, as it seems to work much better for the writing process.”  – Rob Phillips

When Phillips had sought to reunite the band back in 2005 with drummer/engineer Mike Cupino, and a new musical direction, the band did release their first Siren album called “Don´t Mind”. It wasn´t until much later, as three new band members joined the group, that the musical sound developed even more. 

Today, Siren exists with the same lineup as previous releases, except for the lead guitarist. Todd Grubbs replaces Leo Boland as the lead guitar, and brings a guitar virtuoso which really makes the band stand out with a progressive, fusion style. 

The first track on the album, “Lawless Life” was released earlier this year as a single to much critical acclaim, together with a music video produced by Nathan Mowery. With influences such as The Beatles, Led Zeppelin and Foo Fighters, it is hard not to enjoy this eclectic blend of progressive rock. 

Stay current on Siren´s Website and social media channels Instagram and Facebook. Stream music on YouTube , Spotify and Soundcloud

09.16.22
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Raimie Delivers Epic Release “Sunroom 83” – A Standout for 2022

Every once in a blue moon an artist bursts onto the Hip Hop scene with enticing charm, authentic flows, and a real sense of pre-eminence. With the sensational release of “Sunroom 83” ’, the enigmatic Raimie has done just that, announcing himself as not only an aspiring individual, but also an accomplished wordsmith and an exhilarating emcee.

Remaining true to himself and foundations; not only as a musician but as a person, Raimie’s core is at the very heart and soul of his new EP release “Sunroom 83,” which you can dive into now. 

“Sunroom 83” capitalizes on the infectious formula of angular producer work, interesting beats, and figurative lyricism. Opening with the prominent song “Who Told You,” you already know that you’re in for a wild ride.  The song immediately sets the tone for what’s to follow; mellifluent harmonies entangling with the slick, intricate grooves, all while creating an ideal masterpiece.  I don’t feel Raimie could have kickstarted the EP in a better fashion.

Immediately setting the rapper aside from his peers, and along with the frequent vocal shifts and impressive beat switch-ups, the listener is kept on their toes throughout. “Sunroom 83” offers a great example of this diversification. Raimie showcases the best of this cadence, as the artist trades punches with the flagrant beat, finding inconceivable pockets to flow through, all while delivering complex, sonically pleasing rhyme schemes.  His sense of introspection on the release also brings another interesting element to the table; one that you cannot ignore.

Having moved to Los Angeles two months before the COVID-19 lockdown, Raimie’s newest songs celebrate the spirit of survival in a wicked season. For the collection’s title, he reflects back on his beginnings as a music creator, working on his art while attending Rutgers University, toiling away in hours long stretches of intense grind in the namesake “Sunroom 83” in the dead of winter. 

As well as flaunting his neat flows, diverse vocab, and crisp delivery, “Sunroom 83” reveals the workings of an artist with abounding creativity, as his musical knowledge provides an intoxicatingly unique experience. His versatility shows all the makings of a TRUE artist. Raimie shows the risks he’s willing to take in order to succeed in the ever-competitive rap game. A Must Hear.

Favorite Tracks: “Who Told You” “Skyscrappers” “For My People”