Imagist Poetry & “Tik Tik Tik” by Airin Daniella
Sometimes all a song needs is a beautiful voice, simple lyrics, & an easy arrangement on acoustic guitar. In fact: if songwriters and singers are the gardeners of the musical land, I’d say sometimes we get over-involved in the way we nurture the seed of a melody – we talk to each other about what […]
New Year’s Blues & HANRORO’s “The last stop of our pain”
HANRORO’s (한로로) “The last stop of our pain” is a love letter with many lovers. It’s a love letter to herself, to someone lost, to the New Year, the many who are just struggling to make it to the next, and even to Time itself. I know – it’s a big claim. But this is […]
The Best 8 Ukuleles for Beginners in 2023
If you’re reading this, then congratulations, you’re right – ukuleles are super cool. They’re small and portable. They’re impressive, especially around a campfire. They’re a ton of fun to play – and, potentially best of all, they’re not that hard to learn, which makes them a great instrument of choice for beginners. You know all […]
Is the Music Industry a Scam?
I probably shouldn’t write this. The topic’s not all that actionable, for one thing, and for another, my viewpoint is probably unpopular. Writing it down puts me at high risk of coming off as “preachy.” And because of my position, if you’re a cynical person, you might even suspect that I’m being self-servingly disingenuous. But […]
The 10 Best Music Collaboration Websites in 2024
Looking for websites that’ll let you collaborate with other musicians? Here’s my list with a quick-hit synopsis of each option: Looking for the details on each option? Keep reading. I guess it’s trite to say at this point, but it’s still true: The internet’s a crazy thing. It used to be that if you wanted […]
Do Influencer Campaigns Work for Music Promotion?
I tried an Instagram influencer campaign last month. If you’re not familiar with the concept, 1) good for you, and 2) here’s the gist: An “influencer campaign” basically means that you pay semi-famous social media users to make videos featuring your music. There are two potential benefits to doing this: The second scenario isn’t particularly […]
The 7 Best Acoustic Guitar Amps in 2023
Looking for an acoustic guitar amp? Here’s our quick list of seven that are worth checking out: Want more details on each option? Keep reading. Not going to lie, when I first got a guitar back in high school, I had no idea that there were amps specifically designed for acoustic axes. I mean, you […]
Katie Boeck Brings Depth and Nuance to “Bittersweet”
(Photo: Josh Kranich) Nashville-based Katie Boeck’s life so far reads like a novel. She did a grassroots tour of India, where she played farm weddings and even performed at a gala for the Indian Navy. She also won praise on Broadway, starring in the revival of the Tony Award-nominated play Spring Awakening. Boeck (pronounced Bōke) […]
Gabrielle Grace’s “I Wish That I Could Tell You” Is A Song For What We Don’t Say
Nashville singer-songwriter Gabrielle Grace is a master of paradox. “I Wish That I Could Tell You” is a song about the pain of leaving things unsaid – but the song itself is a confession, a declaration, eventually an explosion of articulate desire. The musical arrangement makes the song feel like a journey, even though the story […]
Sayonora Ponytail’s “Morning Sun” & Transformative Self-Expression
Sayonora Ponytail’s (さよならポニーテール) ninth album All Night Thing (夜の出来事) is funky citypop with a drop of melancholy, solemnity, and slowness. Which is saying a lot about the maturity of their sound considering the band has been nearly nonstop pop for over a decade now. In particular, the finale song, “Morning Sun” (朝日のように君は) has significant depth […]
