by Jane Lambert

Amanda Abizaid’s “Hold On My Heart (Bilingual Remix)” – a Transcendent Journey Through Love and Sound

Amanda Abizaid has always been an artist unbound by borders, whether cultural, linguistic or musical.

Her latest release “Hold On My Heart (Bilingual Remix)” has taken on many forms, evolving across languages and styles. Originally written as a pop folk ballad in English through Sundown Sessions in Los Angeles, the song which was co-written with Lindsay Gillis, has since blossomed into a bilingual marvel.

Winning Best Folk and World Music Song awards from the Indie Music Channel, this track further cemented Abizaid’s place as a global artist. Now, with a fresh remix produced by Dave D’Addario, “Hold On My Heart (Blilingual Remix)” shows Abizaid’s talent for fusing world music with neo-soul and cinematic electronica into a mesmerizing, emotionally charged experience.

With lyrics that seamlessly transition between English and Arabic, this song re-invents the wheel of remixes and transforms it into a re-awakening of passion and purpose.

Listen in here:

https://amandaabizaid.bandcamp.com/album/hold-on-my-heart-bilingual-remix

Abizaid’s ethereal vocals pull you into a dreamy landscape where Middle Eastern melodies intertwine with lush electronic beats.

Producer Dave D’Addario expertly amplifies the song’s intensity, layering hypnotic rhythms with a pulsing and danceable energy that builds towards a climactic release. This is certainly a song that lingers with the listener long after listening with its gorgeous fusion of nostalgia and modernity.

Abizaid, a Lebanese-American singer-songwriter, is no stranger to crafting music that resonates across cultures. Best known for her Emmy-winning theme song A Place in Time from The 4400, she has collaborated with legends like Stephen Stills and performed alongside Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter. Her music, which is often a vehicle for storytelling and activism, has found its way into film, television as well as and international humanitarian efforts, where she has used her platform to promote peace and cross-cultural understanding.

“My multicultural upbringing has enabled me to adapt to different types of people. I’ve always had different kinds of friends, inviting them all to my shows and discussions which I love because it creates an international fanbase and audience allowing for a diverse dialog.”

“My hope is to open our minds to accepting our differences by having positive experiences together and to have my fans have an opportunity to experience my native Country Lebanon in a different light than what they might typically hear on the News. After all, don’t we all want to be happy and enjoy the time we have?”

With “Hold On My Heart (Bilingual Remix)”, Abizaid takes another step in that mission, using music as a universal language. This remix breathes new life into an already memorable song, and offers a fresh take where heartbeats of different worlds come together in harmony.

Listen to “Hold On My Heart (Bilingual Remix)” and let it take you somewhere new.

Find out more about Amanda Abizaid and her music on her Website

03.14.25

by Jane Lambert

Keyth Jones Releases Gritty New Single “Run To Me”

Keyth Jones has never been afraid to shake things up. Over the years, he has explored everything from the kaleidoscopic harmonies of Fractal Cat to the experimental edges of Plän Pläns, always taking his music somewhere new.

His latest single, “Run To Me” roars in with a different kind of mission, cutting through the noise with a blistering, fuzzed out garage rock rush.

Listen here:

This track is a raw, high energy homage to the rough and tumble 1960’s garage bands that lit up basement parties and dive bars before vanishing into crates of forgotten vinyl. As soon as the guitars kick in, it’s all speed, sweat, and grit.

There is an urgency; Jones sings like he has something to prove, his voice riding the distortion like a runaway train. The rhythm section is relentless, keeping the pulse pounding from start to finish.

Jones wrote “Run To Me” in the most fitting way possible – jamming with his wife on drums, chasing the thrill of loud, unfiltered rock n’ roll. That energy is baked into every note.

“Run to Me” came from a 2022 jam session with my wife on drums. I had just started playing electric guitar again and wanted to write a rocker that paid homage to the 60s garage bands. My buddy and I used to spend hours combing bargain bins in record stores for those bands. It was like a competition to see who could unearth the most obscure 60s relic. Then we’d go back to his basement and rock out, and we always felt like we were the only people in the world who cared about this stuff.”

But don’t mistake the song’s ragged edges for carelessness. Getting the right balance between loose and electrifyingly tight took serious effort. Jones has said that this was the toughest track to get right in the studio, with producer Miles Gannett helping to fine tune the chaos into something razor sharp.

This is the perfect preview to Jones’s upcoming “Love Yourself” EP, due out in April 2025. While the full project is set to explore themes of self-reflection and romance, “Run To Me” is all adrenaline. Rock and roll at its most immediate and infectious.

Whether you are a fan of The Sonics, The Stooges, or The White Stripes, this one demands to be played out loud!

Listen to “Run To Me” now on Spotify.

Keep up with Keyth Jones on his Website

03.04.25

by Jane Lambert

My Troubled Days Ignite a Fire with “The Burning Clock – Part 1”

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Some music feels like it was made for dimly lit rooms, neon reflections on rainy streets, and the kind of nights that stretch into something surreal.

My Troubled Days taps into that energy with their debut EP “The Burning Clock – Part 1” blending blues-soaked soul, gritty alternative rock and smoky psychedelia into something deeply evocative.

This five track release is lean, atmospheric and full of unexpected twists, never settling into one mood for too long, always pushing forward.

Listen in here:

It all begins with Endless, a slow-burning statement piece that simmers with bluesy guitar work and effortless vocals. There’s a sense of restraint in the verses; it carries the weight of Detroit grit but with a smoothness that recalls the best of ’90s alt-rock.

Crybaby (Day Dreams) flips the script, bringing a dreamlike bounce that somehow manages to feel both carefree and brooding. This is a track that walks the tightrope between light and dark, with sensual vocals leading the way like a whispered invitation to something unknown. The track never loses itself in the haze but it stays sharp, grounded in a groove that makes it impossible to ignore.

Then comes Always This Way (Broken Slowly), the EP’s moment of pure vulnerability. This isn’t a ballad in the traditional sense; it’s more of a slow unraveling. The guitars are delicate, while the vocals lay everything bare. There is a sense of heartbreak in each note, but it never stops to wallow – there is too much truth in storytelling for that.

With High Beams (Time to Go), there is an unapologetic blast of energy. This track struts with a mix of swagger and farewell, like the last drink before heading out into the night. The guitars shimmer, the rhythm section pulses like a heartbeat and the vocals soar in a way that makes it clear: this isn’t an ending, just the beginning of something bigger.

The EP closes with No Chains (Temptation), the band pulls another left turn, diving into a hypnotic swirl of psychedelia. A bit like a late-night hallucination swirling in echoes of classic ’60s rock, it’s moody, intoxicating and a little dangerous.

It’s clear that with “The Burning Clock – Part 1“, My Troubled Days have created a debut that isn’t just an introduction, but one that makes a lasting impression. This is music for the night owls, the seekers, the ones who crave something raw and real with each track telling its own story.

But, together, they create something larger than the sum of their parts. The clock is burning, and My Troubled Days are just getting started.

Find out more about My Troubled Days on the Website

03.03.25

by Jane Lambert

Stephen Jaymes and the Tantrum at the End of the World

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Stephen Jaymes has a knack for tapping into the creeping, existential dread of modern life and turning it into something you can sing along to.

His new single, “Baby Can’t Be Helped” is no exception – part folk-punk catharsis, part psychological diagnosis, and entirely too relevant for comfort. It’s the kind of song that makes you laugh a little at how doomed we all are before hitting you with the realization that, actually, we might not be.

At the heart of the track is Baby, the part of the human brain that just flat-out refuses to accept help, no matter how obvious, simple or necessary that help may be.

Baby clings to suffering with a white-knuckled grip, resenting the mere suggestion that things could improve. And in 2025, with the world teetering on the edge of what feels like irreversible collapse, it’s hard to shake the feeling that Baby isn’t just some rogue impulse in our own heads. It’s in charge of everything.

Jaymes, ever the sharp observer, delivers this message with a mix of deadpan humor and real frustration.

The song opens with a heavy and brooding guitar progression, played just softly enough to feel unsettling. When his vocals come in, he is almost talking at first, calm and measured, like a doctor trying to explain a difficult diagnosis. And then the chorus hits with its rolling, bluesy ascension.

And then there is the realiseation that, of course, Baby can’t be helped.

It’s an addictive cycle, both musically and thematically – building toward clarity, then crumbling under the weight of that same old resistance.

The structure of the song mirrors exactly what it’s describing – the fight to reason with a world that refuses to be reasoned with. It’s maddening, it’s darkly funny, and, it’s deeply relatable.

But there’s something else happening here, too. Jaymes isn’t just throwing his hands up in despair. This track is part of his larger message entitle “#VISION2025” – a call to recognize those forces keeping us locked in this endless tantrum, and to actually do something about it. It’s a reminder that before we can change the world, we have to confront that part of ourselves that refuses to change.

And the funny thing is that we all know Baby. We have seen it in people we love, in people we can’t stand, and in ourselces. Maybe if we start recognising when Baby is pulling the strings, we can finally start taking the rattle away.

Stay connected with Stephen Jaymes here:

Website // Facebook // Instagram // Spotify // Soundcloud // Apple Music // YouTube Music

02.19.25

by Jane Lambert

Eric Selby – Crafting Timeless Sounds with a Modern Edge in Latest EP “Starting to Sync In”

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Eric Selby’s latest EP, “Starting to Sync In“ is a masterclass in blending rootsy Americana with psychedelic folk and a splash of rock and soul.

Recorded between Virginia and Nashville, and mastered at Abbey Road Studios, this collection is full of music that is timeless and contemporary too.

Listen in here:

Opening with “Issues” Selby immediately sets the tone with a wry and self aware groove that channels ‘70s funk and white soul. The track’s playful yet introspective lyrics, born out of an offhand moment with his wife, capture the everyday struggles we all face but with a sense of humor that keeps things light. The chorus – instantly catchy and endlessly relatable – makes this an easy standout and opening track.

“Wine Stains” takes things in a more psychedelic direction. Drawing inspiration from the experimental textures of Revolver and Pet Sounds. With its swirling tablas, deep cello lines, and a dreamy vocal delivery the song feels like a lost relic from the golden age of studio experimentation.

The lyrics push back against over-intellectualizing life’s scars summed up perfectly in the chorus: “I don’t need a sommelier to tell me, it’s just wine stains.”

It’s a clever emotionally sound track that highlights Selby’s knack for balancing weighty themes with effortless melodies.

Then there’s “Because of You,” a heartfelt love song that leans into shimmering rock territory. A song about connection in an increasingly disconnected world, it offers the listener a real sense of warmth and hope. The lush instrumentation and earnest delivery make it one of the most poignant moments on the EP, a perfect closer that leaves listeners feeling uplifted.

Selby has always had a gift for crafting songs that feel lived – in yet utterly original. “Starting to Sync In” is an EP that shows not only his musicianship but the ability to create soundscapes that transcend genre.

He has already made a name for himself with award-winning albums, but with its sharp songwriting, rich production, and undeniable heart, this EP is a must-listen for anyone looking for music that moves both the feet and the soul.

About Eric Selby

Hailing from a small town in Maryland and now calling Virginia home, Eric Selby is a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist whose music defies easy categorization.

Blending elements of Americana, Psychedelic Folk, and roots-driven storytelling, his sound is both deeply personal and universally resonant. Nestled near the Blue Ridge and Appalachian Mountains, Eric draws inspiration from the natural beauty surrounding him, channeling it into songs rich with emotion, texture, and thought provoking lyrics.

His fourth solo release for Soul Stew Records, Starting To Sync In, shows his talent for blending genres. Recorded in Arlington, VA, with his band and in Nashville, TN, the EP features an all-star lineup, including Seth Rausch (drums – Keith Urban, Sheryl Crow, Little Big Town), Luis Espaillat (bass – The Guess Who, Trace Adkins, Jim Messina), and Justin Ostrander (guitar – Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney, Steven Tyler). The final touch came from Andy Walter at London’s legendary Abbey Road Studios, whose mastering credits include The Beatles, David Bowie, and Radiohead, ensuring the EP’s sonic depth and cohesion.

Eric’s previous album, Dang Fool, landed in the Top 10 National Alternative Folk Albums of the Year (2024), according to Roots Music Report (RMR). His past releases, Do, Baby. and Where You Born At?, were also named among RMR’s Top Contemporary Folk Albums of the Year, further solidifying his reputation as a forward-thinking artist with an ear for both classic and contemporary influences.

Eric is a Soul Stew Records recording artist and a proud endorser of SonoTone Premium Guitar & Bass Strings, Canopus Drums, Soultone Cymbals, and other leading musical brands.

Whether behind the drums, at the mic, or producing, his commitment to authenticity and innovation remains unwavering.

For music, tour dates, and more, visit www.ericselby.com

02.14.25

by Jane Lambert

Dan Lowe’s Latest Single “Creatures of the Radio” Is a Rock & Roll Time Capsule

Dan Lowe’s latest single “Creatures of the Radio” is the kind of song that takes you somewhere.

It’s a highway at dusk, headlights stretching out ahead and the radio dial tuned to something that just gets you. It’s a love letter to the days when music crackled through the airwaves and felt like it was speaking directly to you. Because back then, it was.

From the opening bars, there’s an undeniable pull. The guitars shimmer with that unmistakable classic rock warmth, the rhythm section pushes forward with a steady drive, and then there’s that saxophone —rich, full-bodied, a little Springsteen, a little Seger, but entirely its own thing.

Patrick Lamb’s solo tells a story, cutting through like a late-night signal from some distant station.

Dan Lowe’s voice carries the weight of the song. It’s soulful, and with just the right amount of grit. The lyrics capture the magic of growing up with the radio as a constant companion, a lifeline to something bigger. And when the chorus hits it’s anthemic in the best way, built for rolling down windows and belting it out under the stars.

This song is really a reminder of why rock and roll sticks to your bones. And the way it came together makes it even more special.

Lowe recorded “Creatures of the Radio” as part of an “Artist in Residence” program, bringing in students from a digital audio program to be part of the process. That kind of organic, hands-on approach bleeds into the sound; there’s a live energy that makes it feel like it was meant to be heard loud, in a room full of people who just get it.

The timing couldn’t be better for Lowe. He just advanced in Tennessee Songwriters Week after a standout performance at Motif on Music Row, landing himself a spot at the Franklin Theatre showcase on March 1st. If he makes it through, he will perform at the legendary Bluebird Cafe in Nashville. A place where careers are made and stories are told.

“Creatures Of The Radio” is the first of a set of tracks planned to be released monthly during 2025 – capping it off with the release of the full album (also titled “Creatures Of The Radio”) to coincide with the final track release in December.

This is the follow-up to “No Running From The Storm (Songs Of Life, Love, And Loss)” – the previous release by Dan Lowe & The Skeletal Remains.

Lowe is certainly tapping in to the magic of music here, with much more to come.

Keep up to date with Dan Lowe and The Skeletal Remains here:

Website / Facebook / Spotify / Apple Music / YouTube Music