The Blackfires-The Blackfires

 

Ever come across a band once in a time, that you either can't seem to stop listening to, or are left yearning for more music from?  I think I have a band for those issues, and that band is New York City's own, The Blackfires.  Such a great find, and awesome talent here!  Having opened for well known bands such as the likes of Aerosmith, Dizzy Reed of Guns N' Roses, and also California Breed, there is a "natual" liking with this band.  I truly hope you stumble or come across this as I did.  They are currently touring all over the United States, with stops in New York, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles to just get started.  If you can make one of their stops, I highly suggest you do!  Below, you will find links to their specific sites, as well as some tour stops.   A man by the name of "Cheggi" helms the vocals, with a rawness and direct assault on your lyrical ears.  Behind the blazing guitars are Hector Marin and Anthony Mullin.  You can't go wrong with Grasebo Doe tearing up the bass guitar!  Of course, it's hard to go without noticing the force upon The Backfires' drumming, in that of Mr. Joe Mitch.  Each element seems equally talented, with a craftiness to them all.  Head to a link below and pick up both their tracks from the release of "A-Sides" by the names of "Can't Get Over You" and the gem "Woman Walks".  I find it really tough to pick a favorite of the two songs mentioned.  However, since I feel I must, I will go with the lead cut, in that of "Can't Get Over You".  With a blues feel, a rock n' roll vibe, and a metal tone-The Blackfires hit you with all streams of arrangements.  I know there are only great things ahead in this artist's future.  If you are part of a band, and feel you would like to perhaps make a show of it with these guys, definitely hit them up at a link below!  I definitely think they would be worth the efforts.  For more music of the band, pick up the 2012 six track release, which is titled "Live From The Cutting Room".  With titles like "Primal Love", "Gambit", and "Rocker Child", you seem to believe and feel for an atmosphere made of true gifted power!  Wounding out the release are blazers known by names of "Grapeshot" which was a bonus track, "Livewire Barbies", and "Just A Thrill".  If you are running low on new music cash, grab up "Gambit" and "Just A Thrill" for certain!  Hell, if you wanna grab all their quality material, at one of the links below, it would run you around the mere cost of about $7.00.  I would say that is well worth the trust and downloading you place from music of The Blackfires!!  Nonetheless, no matter which way you aim your senses, any song of theirs is really worth your "feel".  Also, catching one of their low priced or free concerts would be highly suggested, as I mentioned before!!  I say, today, let The Blackfires spread into your ears!!

Rating: 5.0/5.0

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Sometimes Julie-Head First

 

Sometimes Julie, hailing from the state of California, are an impressive

duo.  With their release of "Head First", the full length gives us many tastes of fantastic music.  Take for example the lead cut, "We Are Golden".  It sets a melodic mood, with lyrics that would sooth any drive home these days.  The best track off the album is the title cut, "Head First"  It has a more uptempo beat, with lacing guitars, and desolate lyrics and an excellent arrangement indeed.  Another stand out song is "Time Flies".  "Time Flies" shows of perhaps the bands range of style, and the pulsating vocals of the lady herself, "Monica Sorenson.  The guitars are quite better than I honestly expected.  Rick Walker, who is the prime guitar player on "Head First", goes above and beyond really.  With good range, and such a passion for music, it really shows off well in the arrangements and the beats of the record.  You can catch great examples of that in tracks such as "Reckless", "What A Rush", "Wishin' You Were Here', and the crafty one called "Come Find Me".  Overall, I was quite impressed with the album as a whole.  If there was a "weak spot", I would say it would be "Carefully".  However, the fourteen track release is just about perfect overall.  It is excellently packaged, and the artwork, which are depictions of basic ocean scenery and the beauty of the California coast lines, is beautiful.  I recommend this effort, give it a shot, it will surely impress upon you a quality you weren't expecting!

Rating: 4.90/5.0

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Alaina Blair-Alive Again (Single)

 

She's back, and she's back in a big way!!  "Alive Again", Alaina's upcoming new single, is one amazing lead off hit, the propels her into even more an afterburner of a world of musical stardom than we even thought she could even exist in before.  Even after one EP, and one excellent album, this single excels beyond the point of no return.  The slower intro of the song, citing, "Broken down, and turned around......." are excellent lead lyrics...then they soar into more lifting lyrics like ""I didn't know that I could fly this high reach out and touch the sky, defy the laws of gravity..........feeling alive again."  Speaking of "lyrics", along along Alaina's side, were the ppowerful forces of well known powerhouses Jane Bach (Reba), and Mr. Billy Alexander himself, who has really been blazing along with the guitar as well, and his writing has been no different.  Those combined skills are a path to stardom for sure!

  The passion of this song is incredible, and holds motivation and definitely designs for her fans a path of belief that she is for real.  Alaina's voice has never been so strong, and the song is so well written, the vocals are so well done, that there is no reason this time Alaina Blair does not hit the charts with a huge bang!  People have got to know this woman, I cannot believe she is not more of a household name, but Alaina is "alive again" now.....and with "Alive Again", written by the best writers out there, Alaina has indeed marked her territory with a musical passion and fury.  Welcome back Alaina, we embrace you, we feel you "Alive Again"!!

RATING:10/10

 

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Jonny Lang-Blew Up (The House) (Single)

 

As if Jonny didn't rock enough, the young blues guitarist and vocalist is back at it, shredding again.  The lead single, "Blew Up (The House)", is a song that sounds very reminiscent of a track off of his previous album, WANDER THIS WORLD.  However, the guitars are more slick, the lyrics are much more aggressive, and the vocals are more clear and stronger on this song.  Jonny has his background vocalists chanting along, especially during the hook, and the song echoes with enthusiasm and makes you want to groove right along with it!  "Blew Up (The House)" runs just under five minutes long, but you enjoy every minute and second of the song, and the rhythm grabs you, the tone twirls you around, and the blues attitude that the track brings to your ears is enough to make you crave more.  That is exactly the aim here.  Jonny's new album, which is due out in the US, on September 17th, is titled FIGHT FOR MY SOUL.  You can sense the fight in Jonny, the attitude, the young blues sensation is back, and I must say I am loving this one, and looking forward to the full length for certain, come September!!  "Blew Up (The House)", blows up your stereo, your speakers everywhere, and be certain to catch Jonny live at a venue near you, before he sells out!

RATING:9.80/10

 

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KingShifter-26 Tons

 

The band kicks off with a song that rocks it hard, stating "all I ever wanted was a peace of mind"...well, sorry, not with this album.  26 TONS, the explosive rocker from the Kansas band's effort, showcases pure rock and roll at it's purest form.  There is no rest for the weary in this album, and I suggest on September 3rd, a copy of this album either be in your hands, or on your mp3 player!  There are killer tracks, I mean you can close your ears or eyes and pick one, all joking aside.  The lead track, which boasts lyrics like "I'm not going to live my life with my back against the wall"....., that slamming track, known as "Peace of Mind", is one hell of a kick off track for a record.  Following that lead, there are solid tunes like "Dry Heave", "Revolution Generation", and "Unbroken".  Don't get me wrong, this entire album is in high gear.  My favorite track has got to be the one titled, "Downin' Booze-Raisin' Hell".  This one, to me, sets apart from the rest.  Yes, it is similar, but the arrangement is a little different, melodically and lyrically it is better, and more aggressive as well.  This band compares to artists like HellYeah, Blackstone Cherry, Saliva, A Course Of Action, Eve To Adam, and more of that southern rock attitude atmosphere!!  You can never go wrong there!!  In conclusion, if there is one track you would have to check out to sum the album up, it would have to be the one they call, "Pitch Black Blues".  This is a bit more slow, but you get the point, the rock is still there, and the aggression is still heard, lyrics are strong, and the tone is powerful as well!!  The band members, known as "Kink", "Sprout", Derek Ludewick, and David Stenbach are all top notch at this role.  Expect nothing but pure rock n' roll, and you will get it straight......rock hard, and most importantly, rock on !!

RATING: 9.75/10

 

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Tantric-37 Channels

 

Hugo Ferreira's masterful tone within this record will leave you "astounded".  37 Channels, the resilient band's fifth full album after kicking dust all over Travis Meeks' Days of the New project, is their strongest since the debut effort released back in 2001.  Each song seems to tell a story of Hugo's journeys in life, and his emotional ups and downs that he may or may not have struggled with.  The lead track, "Again", boasts great guitar, melody, and yet has simply lyrical content.  Yet, that grit in Hugo's vocals grabs us by our ears and pulls our souls into this record, right into the "37 channels".  Brilliant guitar work and the fact you wanna jam right away to it, make it a hell of a beginning to the album!  "Blue Room", the following song, sets a bit of a calmer world for the listener, then we start to catch a groove and rock to it.  However, if I had to pick a least favorite off the record, again, "IF" I had to, I would go with "Blue Room", but living up to "Again" was tough anyway.  Now, the first single, and the rocker, "Mosquita", really caught me and my mind off guard!  I flatout love this song, by far.  It is obviously my favorite off the record, and it reminds me so much of early Tantric.  I enjoy the blues-like tones, and angry lyrics at times.  Hell, it even has some country, Cajun breakdowns!  This is the Tantric we once knew, and Pavement Records has chosen wisely, done well, and will see success with this record, no doubt!  "Mosquita" is a hit, and I smell a top ten already!  Some other memorable, and power tracks from 37 Channels are "Rise", "My Turn", "Bullet", and my second favorite from this thrill ride, a milder diddy known as "Broken".  The writing is much better, the vocals are more clear, the instrumental ranges are much more eccentric, and this album is far more worth it, than the previous releases by Tantric, maybe except for the first record.  I'd say you could place this one up there with their self-titled debut from twelve years ago.  Hugo and the guys have put together a masterpiece here, and chosen a great label home for it as well!  Well done!

RATING: 10/10

 

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Melanie Joe-Gun Shy (Single)

 

Talent is seemingly abundant these days is the world of country music, I'll grant you that.  However,

Melanie Joe seems to have skipped ahead of that line.  Perhaps it's because of her grit, perhaps it's also because of the electric that guitarist Billy Alexander slides throughout this track, or maybe it just so happens to be the powerhouse of all of it.  "Gun Shy", which is now available on I Tunes, showcases Melanie's true vocals, and lyrically tells a story of a woman scorned, who is about to fire back, for the first time since, and this time.....well, it may not be pretty.  Ironic, considering the beauty of Melanie Joe, and the talent we have here.  This song is guitar-laced, almost like a "blues driven", jukebox slam it down, drink another, let's get up and twirl song.....to be simple, buy this one!!  Country has a hidden talent here, I say if you are a fan of the rebellious Miranda Lambert, or the blistering Alaina Blair, then this track and artist is a no brainer.  Hell, even if you love country, blues, rock, and a good time of music-this song is a match, I'd even refund your money personally if you hate it, because I truly believe in her, and Billy, and I know you can't hate this music.  "Gun Shy" is a great, simple tune, with quality lyrics, quality guitar, and fine tuned vocals, with a sultry vocalist....you cannot possibly go wrong anywhere!  Pick it up today!

RATING: 10/10

 

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Alaina Blair-Alaina Blair

 

Well folks, Alaina Blair is back on the scene with her first full length release.  Let

me just say, this album will rock you to your feet, and that is a good thing.  I love this record from track one to track ten.  "Sweet Talkin' Lola", the first song, is a blues-driven, rockin' tune, that sets the tone for the album.  It reminds me a lot of Orianthi music in some moments, and also with some country thrown into the mix.  "Fall From Grace", track number two, is a bit slower, but written very well, and one of my favorites off this album.  Alaina does very well vocally on this track, and the organ is performed gracefully by her music partner, Billy Alexander.  Such a wonderful, blissfully composed track!  The third song on the album, titled "Down", is an upbeat track with great melody and rhythm.  Alaina's vocal range is shown well in this song, and lines like "you've been holding me under, and it's been making me wonder...."...are so deep and driven well into our heads.  This track is so good, it's got the word, "single" written all over it.  It reminds me a lot of a Sheryl Crow track.  Now, onto my most favorite song off the album, and currently of any album out there right now.  The song is called "I'm A Mess".  I absolutely love this song, it is by far my favorite song of the album, and it rocks to the bottom of the bottle, and into the next bottle!!  I enjoy the beat of the tune, and Alaina and Billy do one hell of a job with this song, if you want to sample any track from this record on a site to decide to purchase this album (which you should anyways), this is the track you definitely should sample first, no doubt!!  The tracks "Why", "Goodbye To Love", and "Tellin' Time", are all three killer tune, both lyrically and vocally.  I mean, I have no clue why more people have not gotten word on Alaina Blair, but this record will get their attention, there is absolutely no doubt about it.  If you thought my love for the GYPSY GIRL EP, was grand, this album by far surpasses it.  I thoroughly enjoyed this, loved it, and will be rocking out to it, jamming to it, and praising it to all my friends and colleagues for days, months to come.  By the way, check out the song, which I believe is track number nine, called "Place To Escape".  That track is well worth the record itself as well, let there be no doubt whatsoever.  Grab this album, from one of the links below, head to the sites, check out Alaina, give her facebook a "like", support this beauty, this talent.  She flatout rocks, and you will be rocking to once you pick up this wonderful musical effort.  Alaina Blair is the next big thing, that is the main point here, listen to what defines "real" music, Alaina defines it quite well, in her own way, so you've heard it here....watch for Alaina everywhere...soon!!

RATING:10+/10

 

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Orianthi-Heaven In This Hell

 

The famed female guitarist is back with her most ferocious release to date yet.

Orianthi is releasing HEAVEN IN THIS HELL on Tuesday March 12th, 2013.  The album, which features my favorite song as well, off the release, titled "Frozen", is amazing.  From top to bottom, her guitar blaze across the sky and she unleashes her soul through the strings of that guitar and the needles in her outstanding female vocals.  Orianthi, if you were not aware, was all set to tour with Michael Jackson, before he passed away tragically a couple of years ago.  She shows us exactly what he must have seen in her talent in this record, no doubt.  Another excellent track, "You Don't Wanna Know", shows her lyrical talents off very well, and you can foresee her brilliance as both a writer, guitarist, and vocalist.  She is one amazing talent, I promise you.  This is her third full length release overall, and she has grown quite well, showing greater confidence and talent.  "Filthy Blues", another excellent track, showcases just that,  her blues side, and boy does she have one.  Her melodies and music remind me of Billy Alexander and another guy you may know as Jonny Lang.  Billy Alexander plays alongside various players, one specifically, Alaina Blair.  You'll wanna check out her review and music as well, from this site.  Orianthi has many hit tracks on this album that could easily be radio singles as rock, blues, or other genres to jam to.  My last comment on this record is that I wish there was more to it.  It contains only twelve tracks, and it leaves you wanting more.  Now, as of today, I am not aware of a deluxe version coming out, perhaps in the future one will.  Bottom line is that you should either pick this up digitally or physically, I believe hard copy-wise, it is around ten bucks.  The choice is yours, though the point is, you definitely do not want to miss this!!

RATING: 9.5/10

 

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Orianthi-"Frozen" (Rock Radio Edit Single)

                              Orianthi has come a long way, but she hasn't slowed down.  She is the younger Joss Stone, even working with familiar music legend Dave Stewart.  The lead single from her new, upcoming album, due this March is called, "Frozen".  It rocks, to say the least.  With pulse-driven guitar as usual, played, and vocals driven by soul, Orianthi has stood her ground again.  If you're into blues and rock, or some soul music, this track is a must for you.  I know the album is about a month away, but I highly suggest picking this radio rock edit up off I-tunes right away, you won't be sorry.  Lyrically, it starts weak, but please don't be fooled, it picks up, makes you want to dance, catch a groove, and then you really get into the rock and roll spirit that Orianthi brings to the stage and radio each and every time.
RATING: 8.25/10
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