by Jane Lambert

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

11.01.22

by Jane Lambert

Gary Dranow and the Manic Emotions Release First Two Singles From Their Upcoming Album

Gary Dranow & the Manic Emotions is a Park City, Utah-based classic rock band making music for the square pegs. After creating successful business endeavors in the world of outdoor sports, bandleader Gary Dranow turned to music to help him cope with bipolar disorder and the effects of a stroke. The result is a genre-defying collection of songs that provide comfort to those who are also walking a difficult path.

The band just released two singles from their upcoming album, Destiny Road, and album 25 years in the making.

The first is the pop rock single “Fool Outta Me,” a song with a Bon Jovi meets Pink Floyd 80’s inspired sound. The melody grabs your attention and demands your ears with it’s catchy hook and masterful songwriting. The song is about a one sided dysfunctional and unrequited love, the subject of the song has had enough and is calling it quits. “The lyrics were inspired by one of my own failed relationships where my emotions and effort were not returned,” shares Gary.

The second is the more classic and heavy rock single “Twisted Minds,” a song with an Ozzy Osbourne meets The Rolling Stones melodies and rock structure. This song is alive with wailing guitars, lyrical poetry, and emotional intensity. The song is an energetic and cathartic song about the insanity of loving someone with an unhinged mind. Lyrics like “Infatuation takes the blame, what does it matter, when your living in lies, you lose the game” sets the table for a fare of emotional angst and once again the trauma of dysfunctional relationships, of which Dranow has had many in his 50 years of trying to find lasting love.

Influenced by the musical work of icons Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughn, Gary Dranow and The Manic Emotions are set to soar to new heights, as they send ripples through the Blues and Rock music scene. They are a force to be reckoned with and are bound to be on your playlists.

Connect with Gary Dranow and the Manic Emotions

Website // Instagram // Facebook // YouTube // Soundcloud

10.13.22

by Jane Lambert

Video Voyager: Happy For No Reason’s “Canaries (Hot Summer Night)”

Happy For No Reason is a band that is the antithesis of their name. The band based out of Portland Oregon celebrate every single one of life’s precious moments as two of their members are literally happy to be alive. Comprising of Jo Alexis (vocals and percussion), Neil Goldstein (guitar), and Mark Pritchard (flute), the founding members of Happy For No Reason navigate the rich waters of Jazzy Folk with a pinch of rock, a dash of soul, and even a touch of Bossa Nova.

Their jazzy folk rock single “Canaries (Hot Summer Night)” was revived from Neil and Jo’s early music careers. Neil wrote this chord progression with a jazz band in 1974 and Jo wrote the lyrics in 1991. They put them together one night in 2015 to make the song we hear now. It’s an example of how many of their songs came together.

“The lyrics are about my boyfriend who was working in Harlem at the time and I went to visit him knowing we might break up,” says Jo. “Breaking up when you are still in love is painful but the song has turned into a raucous uptempo sing-along, like the rat pack with a female lead!”

They finished recording, mixing, and making the music video during the pandemic. A friend of Jo’s told suggested the lead vocals were initially too aggressive. So, Jo bought a new microphone and redid her parts, also learning how to use Logic, the DAW (digital audio work station) and spent many hours comping the flute and piano solos.

Their video for “Canaries(Hot Summer Night)” depicts the band on a steampunk style ship, captained by Jo. They are on a mission to catch a canary. The ship and crew are eventually wrecked and never catch the canary. It’s a metaphor for self-destruction, you want something so bad that you’re willing to ignore red flags.

We spoke with Jo Alexis about the video:

Tell us the story of this song, why did you choose to visualize this song specifically in this way?

We didn’t actually choose it but trusted the animator to come up with something fabulous! I saw one of his videos on YouTube and looked him up. He does a combination of live action and animation and I thought it would be amazing for this song!

What was the inspiration behind this video?

Honestly, we gave Christian Bolorinos, our director/animator/producer complete creative freedom on this so all of the ideas were his and we showed up in costume and followed direction. He is SUCH a joy to work with and has an incredible sense of humor! I was delighted with the result and so was the wonder world. The video has acquired 136k views on Facebook and is also a favorite on my YouTube channel.

What was the process of making this video?

The process was so much fun! We rented a studio in Portland and showed up in steampunk outfits(during the pandemic so we wore masks except when shooting!). We shot the music video in Portland but our director, animator and script writer, Christian Bolorinos, was in Barcelona. So we FaceTimed with him during the shoot which actually worked out really well! He directed us from Spain and we just followed his directions. I rented boat props like a steering wheel and a nautical telescope and of course, ropes. We used a fan to make it look as if we were in a terrible storm. Here are some cool pics of our shoot with the band in steampunk costumes.

Connect with Happy For No Reason via:
Website / Facebook / YouTube / Spotify

08.29.22

by Jane Lambert

Video Voyager: The Speaker Wars “It Ain’t Easy”

Hall of Fame drummer Stan Lynch and singer-songwriter Jon Christopher Davis have come together to create the music they want on their own terms; they are The Speaker Wars. Their music has a vintage classic rock vibe with a contemporary spin. Their video for their latest single “It Ain’t Easy” is simple yet effective. It’s all in black and white and depicts the band playing in the studio. The song itself if about aging in any industry, but specifically the music industry for Stan and Jon. Getting older doesn’t have to be a negative thing and this video shows their grace and acceptance of it. Just them playing music is all they need to share this message.

We spoke with Jon Christopher Davis about the video. Let’s dive in:

Tell us the story of this song, why did you choose to visualize this song specifically in this way?

“It Ain’t Easy”‘ is about finding a renewed sense of purpose while learning how to age gracefully. I think it speaks to the confrontation of aging in any industry.

What was the inspiration behind this video?

To simply show that mojo doesn’t have an expiration date unless you let it. Getting older and wiser is cool. It’s a privilege and it’s liberating. Life gets mighty precious when there’s less of it to waste.

What was the process of making this video?

We shot our scenes separately during the middle of the pandemic. Stan was in Florida, and I was in Texas. It’s always a challenge whenever you can’t be in the same room, but it turned out great thanks to our director, Brad Osborne. It’s simple and soulful, and that’s what The Speaker Wars are all about.

Watch here:

Connect with The Speaker Wars via:
Website // Instagram // Facebook // YouTube // Spotify // Soundcloud

08.24.22

by Jane Lambert

Video Voyager: Siren’s “High Wire”

Siren is the progressive fusion band of rock, metal, blues, and jazz, who are making strides with their latest release, the classic rock “High Wire.” The music video already has over 150K views on YouTube. The song is a metaphor for the music industry and the music labels that run it. Visually, the video depicts a clown (the musician) trying to catch the attention of the high wire girl (labels) by any means necessary. He does everything he can think of, like riding a unicycle and playing with fire. It isn’t until he leaves the confines of the circus tent (music industry at large) that he is finally able to get the girl.

We spoke with Siren about their video, so let’s see what they had to share:

Tell us the story of “High Wire”, and why did you choose to visualize this song specifically in this way?

“High Wire” is a metaphor for the music industry. The music industry is like a circus. The clown is the artist and the High Wire girl is the music industry. I think all Clowns would prefer to be the main attraction like a circus performer instead of a side show act. There is a pecking order even in the circus world just like the music industry. Even Clowns can dream of greatness and sometimes as in this song come out on top.

What was the inspiration behind the video?

We envisioned taking the viewer into another world that exists within the circus tent. The relentless struggle and uphill battle the clown faces everyday to achieve his most fond desire of the High Wire girls love regardless of the cost. Our clown character was broken and burned but he never lost sight of his desires. He eventually triumphs in the end winning the heart/love of the High Wire girl. Rarely does the clown get the girl and in our story he does.

What was the process of making this video?

The video storyboard took a couple months to be completed. Mike and I had discussed a Black and White concept with only red standing out. The script for the story was basically the lyrics for the song. I had the idea for the old silent film intro at the beginning which worked out very well. Nathan, our video producer found the intro sound track that fit perfectly. This was the second time we had worked with Nathan’s company Kind Punk. He not only directed this video but was the main character the Clown. The High Wire artist was a joy to work with and she is not only beautiful but, She is also a very good actress. The video filming was somewhat difficult as the temperatures that day were in the 90’s and we were not getting a lot of air inside the circus tent. In the end it was worth it all. The video is like a mini movie that ties in with the song and lyrics. A great job by everyone involved!

Watch here:

Connect with Siren via:
Website I Instagram I Facebook I Twitter I YouTube I Spotify I Soundcloud

06.23.22

by Jane Lambert

Slim Sly Slender’s “War Paint” Exposes Our Collective Insecurities

The Baltimore, Maryland-based artist Slim Sly Slender had his musical awakening in 2009, during a casual warehouse jam session with friends. A successful painter and visual artist since his youth, Slim had an epiphany that day–and one single experience set him on a new path to become a prolific singer-songwriter. His quirky, wry lyrical style and straightforward instrumental settings are reminiscent of the Beatles music he grew up with, as well as great 80s acts such as Randy Newman, Billy Bragg,and Andy Partridge of the XTC.

Sly Slim Slender (performance name of Jay Schlueter) is setting up for the release of his sixth album, Pay to Play, with his recent single “War Paint”(May 27, 2022). “The initial idea for this song came from the title of the book about Helena Rubenstein and Elizabeth Arden, although other than that the song is not about either of them,” Slim said. “The song is about how normal and necessary it is for some people to be cosmetically made up at all times to confidently go out in public.”

“War Paint” invokes a fun vibe through the upbeat rhythm, melody, and ebullient bass. However, when listening close to the lyrics, the song becomes “a bit of a downer.” Without giving too much away, “War Paint” is the battle cry for those who do their face up for public outings, whether it is for artistic purposes or conformity. This song is nothing short from an earworm. The melody, backing vocals, and funky guitar rhythm will have listeners bopping and humming at any time of day.

“I do this because I love it,” Slim says. “Music is unlike visual art because when a person buys a painting, they put it on a wall, and only they and their friends can enjoy the piece of art. Music is for everybody. I love sharing it, and I’m excited to get this album out there in front of more people.”

Listen here: