Tuesday, September 08, 2009

Review Tuesday

I've been getting music from the public relations firms and had the opportunity to listen to some new and different kinds of music. As a musician, I find that giving chances to other musicians to be a complete delight. Today I will be reviewing some records from bands you may not know very well. Yet!

HUMAN UNIFORM by Steve McLeod. If you like a rock album to immediately grab you and pull you into the groove, then this is a record for you. From the first note you are pulled into a world of amazing music, and every note is played by one man, Steve McLeod. This versatile musician plays every instrument you hear and he sings. It's an all-around great record and immediately became a favorite. I was even playing it for co-workers and family, usually asking, "Can you believe this guy isn't huge yet?" I'm sure that will be corrected soon enough. I expect to hear great things about Steve McLeod in the future.
TOXIC CHARM by Ace Noface. Now for a completely different direction. Toxic Charm is an ambitious jazzy album from a former bass player going by the name Ace Noface. When I first listened to this my first thought was that the pianos are extremely talented. The vocals are also very good. Everything was very jazzy. But after I read the band bio, realizing that Ace suffers from Lou Gehrig's disease which is an incurable and degenerative neurological disorder. Despite the challenge he used software to assist him assemble an album of very involved and, frequently, haunting music. You can feel his angst in many of the tunes. But it's not a collection of sad songs, there are also some very strong, empowering and inspiring songs in there as well. If you have a chance to get your hands on this record, you'll want to give it a listen.

KARKARI by Mammút. From Iceland comes Mammút and they are looking to make an impact on the world with their music. I can't say I understand any of the lyrics but I do know Kata's vocals are beautiful and angelic. And through the eleven songs from the album Karkari, they change and slip through styles very easily and convincingly. I immediately fell in love with the album. I would call this modern / alternative rock and if you like female singers and sweet high voices, this will not disappoint you. You can check out some of their music FREE! A free song goes to those who sign up to their mailing list at:

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