February 2022
Kristine England
Feb 28, 2022
Los Bitchos
Let The Festivities Begin!
This female foursome of “Bitchos” is a really good time! The London quartet “produced a record that is “ retro, wide-reaching, and as festive as the title promises...we coast on vibes and guitar licks, navigating a surf-rock odyssey by way of Argentine cumbia, Peruvian chicha, and Turkish psych.” (Pitchfork)
"Pista"
Cult of Luna
The Long Road North
The Long Road North from Swedish post-metal band Cult of Luna is dark and heavy in all the right ways, offering “an arduous yet rewarding journey into post-metal majesty.” (Louder/Hammer) Metal Injection also notes, "is huge and heavy, but also introspective and cerebral." This is the group's ninth studio release since its inception in 1998.
"Into the Night"
Jarguna
Neogene
The latest soundscapes from Italian “sound-artist” Marco Billi could lull you into a higher state of consciousness, if you’re ready. Neogene is named for an epoch during the Cenozoic period, when conntinents were moving into their present positions, between the decline of dinosaurs and dominance of homo sapiens.
"Neogene"
MAITA
I Just Want To Be Wild For You
This is song is certainly relatable as global societies have coped with two years of isolation. And the chorus is beautiful. Maria Maita-Keppeler and engineer/electric guitarist Matthew Zeltzer entered the studio just before the pandemic hit and continued to work on it while it was raging. The band is rounded out by Nevada Sowle (bass, Wurlitzer, upright piano, synth) and Cooper Trail (drums, assorted percussion, piano, Rhodes, and synth).
"Loneliness"
Star One
Revel In Time
The brainchild of prog-metal maestro Arjen Anthony Lucassen, Star One offers songs so commanding, there are two discs of the same tunes with different vocalists. The sound is massive and glorious. Singer Brandon Yeagley, featured on this track, is a powerhouse.
"Revel in Time"
The Delines
The Sea Drift
A group of real people making music you’d want to hear in your favorite neighborhood joint every Saturday night, playing “11 songs of a romantic, Southern country-soul bent.” (Uncut)
"Past The Shadows"
Anna Laura Quinn
Open the Door
This New Orleans-based vocalist sounds like a classic jazz chanteuse on her debut album. Her voice could melt the hardest heart. JazzTimes was impressed, noting, Quinn has established "...her own winsome identity as a savvy vocalist and arranger with an appealing sound, unfailing taste, and expansive palette of influences.
"Open the Door"
Erin Rae
Lighten Up
Rae’s smooth vocals and classic country sound guide listeners through an introspective album. Under the Radar calls the record, "a warm, quirky, and heavily atmospheric concoction, richly-textured and poetically potent."
"Modern Woman"