Blair Lee Sparkles on The Puppy Game EP
Canadian singer-songwriter Blair Lee has the potential to be one of the all-time greats – right up there with Joni Mitchell and Carly Simon. Lee’s debut EP The Puppy Game showcases five indelible songs. “Hurdles” is a touching tribute to her grandparents’ influence in her life – and the melody has the classic feel of […]
The So Lows on “Means a Lot” and High-desert Inspiration
The genre we call “rock” has been in the doldrums lately. But there’s a roots-rock band that may change all that: the New Mexico-based trio The So Lows. Molly Miller and Ronnie Rael are the principal songwriters and vocalists, and Troy Krusz is the group’s ace guitarist. The So Lows’ music reminds me of the […]
Aarktica on the “Delicate Waltz” and Deep Healing
Jon DeRosa releases his ambient atmospheric songs under the name of Aarktica. While in college, DeRosa mysteriously went deaf in one ear, which forced him to recalibrate his entire sonic world. A lot of pop songs can heal heartbreak, but Aarktica goes deeper than that. He’s a pioneer in the field of shamanic healing. He’s […]
Maryanna Devlin on “Gary Indiana” And Author-inspired Artistry
Listening to Maryanna Devlin’s haunting “Gary Indiana” makes me wistful for the days when Townes Van Zandt, Rosanne Cash and Emmylou Harris were having their greatest success. You can’t copyright a title – and this “Gary Indiana” bears no resemblance to the cute little song that a young Ron Howard sang in the movie The […]
Sorcha Richardson is All Smiles After Returning to Dublin
Irish singer-songwriter Sorcha Richardson – just like London artist emie nathan – went to college in the U.S. before returning home. Consequently, Sorcha understands the world a lot better than most of who didn’t study abroad – and her songs have gravitas and wisdom. Every song on Sorcha’s new album Smiling Like An Idiot lures […]
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 […]
