merci, mercy Makes It Look “Too Easy” On Sophomore EP
Australian artist merci, mercy has written a lot of songs about battling depression and addiction, but her second EP is nonetheless triumphant. “Too Easy” and “Black Cloud” sound like radio hits to me. And this is one artist who doesn’t need seven co-writers and producers for every track. A lot of her best songs are […]
Ryn Nicole on “Anxiety,” Berner Hooks, and Havana
Ryn Nicole is one of those immensely talented artists who would have fit right in with Hemingway in the Twenties, Duke Ellington in the Forties, or Cuban salsa legend Celia Cruz in the Fifties. Ryn gives new meaning to the word “eclectic.” She grew up listening to country artists like Rascal Flatts and Shania Twain, […]
Laura Musgrave on “One Family” and Confessional Lyrics
When I first heard Alanis Morissette’s “Thank U”, I had to pull the car to the side of the road. The song was so joyous and confessional that it required my full attention. And that’s the type of music that British singer-songwriter Laura Musgrave makes. Her 2019 single “How To Let Go” is a haunting […]
Kleo on Love, Meditation, and a “Beautiful Life”
Danish artist Kleo is one of the most intriguing personalities in the pop world. She grew up listening to brilliant-yet-troubled singers like Jeff Buckley and Kurt Cobain, but her life today is much sunnier than that. Kleo’s positive worldview is shaped by her love of Transcendental Meditation and Vedic astrology. And those uplifting vibes are […]
Jessica Winter on “Choreograph” and Dancing in a Downpour
Some well-known reviewers are hailing Jessica Winter’s “Choreograph” as the best song and video of the year. I’d certainly put it in my Top 5 for 2022. The song is based on a universal truth: real love can’t be choreographed. And the video for the song is perhaps the best rain-soaked, umbrella-twirling performance since Gene […]
Jade Jackson on “As You Run” and the Roots Rock Renaissance
If you’re wondering where to find the next Rosanne Cash, look no further than roots-rock artist Jade Jackson. In the late 1980s, Rosanne Cash and Bonnie Raitt had a string of radio hits, then their type of music unfortunately fell out of vogue. Now it’s making a comeback thanks to artists like Jackson and Aubrie […]
Tess Henley on “Not in the Mood,” Great Parents, and Dino
Singer-songwriter Tess Henley should consider changing her name to Dawn Henley because many of her songs have the world-weary sophistication of The Eagles’ frontman. Her new single “Not In The Mood” perfectly captures the relationship ennui that the other Henley often sang about. There’s no other way to say I need my space I’m just […]
Gracie Ray on “Love, Quarantine,” Noble Breakups, and Rio
I predict that L.A. indie pop artist Gracie Ray will be one of the most important voices of the next decade. Long after the one-trick-pony singers have come and gone, she’ll be writing and singing songs that compare favorably to all-time greats like Sade, Valerie Carter and Roberta Flack. Gracie’s unique vocal phrasing, jazzy chord […]
Rue Delaney on A Faux Funeral and Her New EP
Both UK artist Rue Delaney and her label-mate Fauness have hypnotic voices that feel half-elfin – sorta like what Liv Tyler would have sounded like if she sang her lines in Lord of the Rings. Not only is Rue’s new single musically charming, but the lyrics are first-rate, too: Wipe the tears across my skin […]
Fairhazel on “Comfort Inn” and the Wilson/Nilsson Connection
Fairhazel is a British-born artist now residing in L.A. whose music is reminiscent of two Southern Cal melodic geniuses: Brian Wilson and Harry Nilsson. His latest single “Comfort Inn” features a Wilson-esque tempo change – and last year’s “I Wanna Die With My Blue Jeans On” has an impish Nilsson-y charm. Fairhazel’s “Save The Planet!” […]
