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‘False Alarms’ from Private Lessons is a retro-sounding slice of coolness that works it’s way into the GT spotlight. It’s a great club track, got a great hook, and then the vocoder on the vocals just pushes it over the top. While there is a definite 80’s New Wave vibe to this track, it doesn’t really come off as derivative at all. It stills manages to sound fresh and cutting-edge, which is not an easy balancing act. So check out ‘False Alarms’ and as cool as this song is, it’ll have you wondering why New Wave ever went out of style.

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“Keep it gully dunn!” Yeah, I think that phrase personifies what Blackmobb has going on. If you’re not familiar with them, they’re a duo with origins in the Boogie Down whose “straight-up, no chaser” hip-hop styles have taken them to LA, the UK and beyond. They seem to have assembled a worldwide team behind their effort yet that hasn’t diluted the focus of their music which is hardcore and street in a way that can only be done by cats from New York. Read the rest of this entry »

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Oooh, a hard and heavy guitar riff catches you right out of the gate in ‘Once Again’ from Point Defiance. Then the verse comes in and you get a good idea for just how tight these guys are. Heavy melodic rock is the order of the day and ‘Once Again’ serves it up in heaping doses. Read the rest of this entry »

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‘Remembering Home’ is a solo piano piece that sounds like something that should be in a soul-stirring moment in a movie. It seems to capture a moment so moving that it could only be realized on the silver screen. Captivating, moving, and slightly wistful, this track exemplifies what a strong instrument the piano is and why it has been at the foundation of music for centuries. Got one complaint though… it’s TOO SHORT! This piece begs to be expanded into a seven minute epic. But I’ll be grateful for what I can get, as this is really an outstanding piece of music. Nothing much else that I can say about this track besides to heap more praises on it, so I’ll leave it in your hands to decide. Download it and check it out. You won’t be disappointed.

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‘Mary’ from Greg Tannen is a warm acoustic track that reminds me of Ryan Adams. Nice harmonies and a catchy chorus are the products on display from this great songwriter. Greg has a knack for finding a great hook. This is just a laid back tune that you could very easily envision him writing sitting on his front porch on a nice spring day. Read the rest of this entry »

‘Shakin” has got elements of all the classic rock songs thrown in here for good measure. As such South Normal have distilled down what makes classic rock great into a concentrated two and a half minutes. I love to see a band bring back the swagger and cockiness of good ol’ fashioned rawk, and rawk is exactly what ‘Shakin”does. But it isn’t merely a tired rehash of the songs you’ve heard all your life. They breathe new life into the classic sound and as such, it hits you like a breath of fresh air. Read the rest of this entry »

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‘Slow Burn’ has flavors of various different styles all rolled up into a 3 minute bout of pop goodness. It begins with a nice little lo-fi electronic drum loop before the band comes together with their acoustic-blues-funk-whatever. Forget the labels, it’s good stuff. Picture Jeff Buckley with Eric Clapton playing guitar. Read the rest of this entry »

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One Mile Wish is out of Hollywood and they are currently working on their first EP. It’s clear to me that these guys are going to stand tall when the word starts to get out. It won’t be long before you are hearing of this band alot, so remember that I told you about them first. Read the rest of this entry »

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Heard this song a few months ago and it has stuck with me ever sense. It’s power pop that is so catchy you just can’t help but like this song. I think everyone has had the feeling that they were someone else’s trampoline, so it’s a track that we can all relate to. Read the rest of this entry »