Bill Copeland
Shanta Paloma intrigues with unusual talent on debut album
Shanta Paloma’s debut full length CD offers a lot of accessible modern radio rock graced by her gutsy, raspy vocal delivery. Paloma’s songs are well crafted pop rockers whose influences range from Pat Benatar to Ani DiFranco to just about any interesting female songwriter with an intriguing vocal. Self-titled, her album never runs out of steam but continuously delivers high energy material. Paloma spices her songs well with intricate acoustic guitar passages, arcing lead guitar accompaniment, and alluring grooves that are as influenced by gypsy jazz as they are classic rock.
Chick Singer Night teams with Burren for unplugged show; Robin Lane headlines
Marcia Macres and her Chick Singer Night co-director Jennifer Truesdale offer a whole different ballgame for this Fall’s Chick Singer Night/Boston presentation. Last spring, CSN presented their selection of notable female singers in a concert format at a local theatre. Their Fall presentation finds Chick Singer Night presenting as the lineup for the Sunday Night Acoustic Series at The Burren in Somerville, this Sunday night coming up, November 16, from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Marina Evans reaches high level of artistic expression on Unbound album
Marina Evans first full length album Unbound reflects the high level of quality and self-assurance that comes with experience in music and in life. Many of her songs have a haunting quality, as if there is an underlying spirit driving them on beneath the voice and music. Evans also composes her songs so they have interesting, engaging rhythmic twists. No matter, though, which technique she employs, genre she borrows from, or inflection she sings in, Evans has come up with a complete artistic expression of where she is today.
Erin Harpe & The Delta Swingers keep it real on debut album Love Whip Blues
Erin Harpe & The Delta Swingers have finally released their debut album, Love Whip Blues. It has been worth the wait. These four local musicians have put their Boston delta sound down well on record. These tracks are brimming with something special, something that hearkens back to the original Mississippi Delta blues, back to when this music was new, fresh, exciting. With selective covers and startling originals, EH&TDS have succeeded in bringing that real down and dirty Delta sound home to their fans in New England.
Christa Gniadek delights greatly with her voice on Leaving Boston album
Christa Gniadek’s third full length album Leaving Boston offers more of her soft, sweet, ethereal voice. Wrapped in country, roots, Americana tunefulness, Gniadek’s voice remains the guiding light, fitting her melody lines like a glove. For Americana music fans looking for a voice to fall in love with and for label execs looking for another Jewel to make money off of, yep, this girl is a for real answer to your prayers. This singer should probably try to get on one of today’s currently popular TV singing competition shows.
Cold Engines off to an auspicious start with debut CD Day Drinker
Cold Engines is an all star line up of musicians who have already achieved many things in the New England music scene. Taking their alt-country sound into the studio was a wise choice, resulting in Day Drinker, a ten track album loaded with fresh, perky country sounds pushed along with a driving rock edge. David Drouin, Aaron Zaroulis, Amelia Gormley, and Geoff Pilkington are onto something interesting and engaging here.
Willie J. Laws Band will make everybody’s Cornbread Moan with new album
Willie J. Laws is a blues journeyman. Laws has learned the blues by playing and singing the blues all over the country. His education has paid off in spades. Along the way, he has learned a little more than he knew before, and now he stands before us as an electrifying vocal and electric guitar presence. Laws gives off as much spark on his new Cornbread Moan album as he does in his vibrant live shows. Willie J. Laws Band also features bass guitar man Malcolm Stuckey, drummer Osi Brathwaite, and sometimes organist Bruce Mattson.
Joel Cage offers many fine lyrical and musical nuggets on Eponymous album
Joel Cage’ s latest album, Eponymous, offers a whole smattering of styles and approaches that the singer-songwriter expands on in each song. Aside from having something unique to say in each song, Cage makes his mark by putting his songs together with fine craftsmanship. His unerring sense of what a song needs shows itself in each tempo, sustain, and instrumental accompaniment he chooses. Each tuneful work here is the audio vision of a painterly scene in the listener’s mind. His songs are loaded with nuance because this former member of Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes still creates music as if he’s writing for a full band.
Joey Freedom offers more fun rock and roll on We Gotta All Chill Out album
Worcester’s Joey Freedom is at it again. He strikes punk rock gold on this new album, We Gotta All Chill Out. Writing songs for 55 years tends to make one good at. Taking the time to study what one likes and what works for an individual artist is another luxury Freedom has earned. Working with producer Clintone to bring his lyrical and musical visions to life was a wise choice. Clintone packs plenty of punch, playing all drums, lead guitars, bass guitars and singing all of the background vocals.
Cider Press band delights Halloween costume party goers at Village Trestle
Cider Press band entertained the costumed crowd at the Village Trestle’s annual Halloween party last Saturday night. Aside from a few technical issues that would crop up now and then, the band hit the right vibe for a festive seasonal event. The five piece featured two guitarists and a keyboardist, and that made for a full sounding band. Three of the band members sing, and that made for some good harmonies. Toss in Cider Press’s penchant for variety, playing songs that most cover bands don’t, and it was an evening of good music.
