Michelle Willson and her Evil Gal Festival Orchestra offer fine live album Fortune Cookie
Michelle Willson’s new live album Fortune Cookie Live At Scullers shows the artist in her most natural setting, a stage in an upscale Boston music venue. Rangy and powerful by nature, classy in her delivery, Willson reaches true musical heights in her interpretation of 1950s soul. Her Evil Gal Festival Orchestra consists of drummer Zac Casher, upright bassist Sven Larson, guitarist Mike Mele, pianist Shinichi Otsu, and reed player Scott Shetler. That force of nature voice combined with such A-list players can only make a fine showing of their talents.
Ron Levy’s Wild Kingdom offers another gem on The Lost Session album.
Ron Levy’s Wild Kingdom once recorded an album’s worth of music in a north shore recording studio. Those recordings, lost and forgotten when Levy’s record label folded, were eventually found and now they are being presented as The Lost Session and released on the Levtron.com site. Keyboardist/composer Levy was in top form back in those days, as was his Wild Kingdom players, and these songs, finally seeing the light of day, jump out of the speakers with startlingly good quality.
Oldjack reaches new artistic high on What Is Home To You album
Oldjack has been chugging along in the Boston indie rock scene for a few years now. They’ve competed in The Rumble and have shared bills with numerous respected bands in the city. Their new full length album What Is Home To You should cement their reputation as purveyors of fine Americana roots rock. Dan Nicklin’s rangy, emotive vocal and songwriting skill make their mark on each song, casting them all in a large looming manner, like each is a song that should’ve become famous a long time ago.
Ashley Jordan offers strong third album Nothing In Doubt; shows true potential
Ashley Jordan’s sophomore effort Nothing In Doubt is a strong follow up to her 2011 debut CD Liquid Words. Jordan’s new work has some sharper sounds with edgier electric guitars and more aggressive drumming. She’s still squarely in the singer-songwriter category. Yet, this time around she’s got more to say about people who’ve done her wrong. I hope for the safety of the boys she’s writing about that Jordan doesn’t have a background in karate or boxing for she will surely beat them to a pulp.
Br1ght Pr1mate continue to make unusual beautiful music on Night Animals CD
Br1ght Pr1mate are onto something big. They are a duo featuring vocalist Lydia Marsala and musician James Therrien who composes and plays music with a Game Boy chip. It’s a very recent musical genre requiring older computers and video game consoles. Therrien’s use of Chip tunes allows him to create a myriad of musical soundscapes that marries pop music to a sound similar to sci fi film scores and sound effects. This is the kind of music you’d hear on the mother ship if you’re ever abducted by aliens. Latest album Night Animals keeps it at once tight and experimental.
B11 serve up fun, interesting instrumental music their own way on self-titled debut album
B11 have just released their self-titled debut album. A professional funk-jazz trio based in Boston, B11 offer original music as well as very unique arrangements of well known standard by recognizable names like Stevie Wonder, Henry Mancini, Lou Donaldson, and Sam Rivers. So, what about B11? Their instrumental music will take you places you never imagined, and likely will never travel to again with any other band. Inventive and skillful, they do things their own way.
Susan Cattaneo lays out grand Americana roots vision on Haunted Heart CD
Susan Cattaneo’s latest Americana roots album Haunted Heart is a fulsome visionary work. Catteneo offers several human dramas in her lyrics while serving up her smooth timbre in a variety of crisp, roots musical settings. She sprawls her authentic beauty over naturalistic sounds capes conjured by pedal steel, lap steel, slide guitar, Hammond organ, Wurlitzer piano, transistor organ, and many other instruments that offer a pristine sound and emotive joy or sorrow.
Ariel Strasser shows uncommonly sophisticated ablility on Crooked Line CD
Ariel Strasser’s first album Crooked Line is a collection of warm piano-driven pop songs that pull you in with her sweet, strong vocals, peppy melodies, and a clarity of sound that lets her voice and piano ring out with pulse and purpose. Strasser can also make her listener feel something significant in each song, and that is a serious sign that there is something special going on with this artist.
Kostas Taslis brings old world charm to Greek Classics II
Kostas Taslis has released a fantastic album of traditional Greek music, Classics II. Strumming his bouzouki and singing in his native Greek language with a handsome low tenor, Taslis proves himself a master performer. Not only does he offer fine nuanced musical and vocal performances, he fills his songs with a lively personality and dramatic warmth.
Lisa Marie & Silvertone Steve offer mighty fine cover songs on Nickel Bag Of Candy album
Lisa Marie & Silverstone Steve have got an acoustic duo act that’s as polished as most four-piece bands. Lisa Marie’s raspy, svelte belts and coos saunter over Silvertone Steve’s crisp, blues-roots, multitude of picking styles like nobody’s business. On their new album of classic cover songs, Nickel Bag Of Candy, the two nail sweetly appealing version of 13 songs by some of the greatest songwriters of our time.
