CLUB MERANO - High Road

CLUB MERANO
" High Road "
( Exogenic Music Group ) 2011.
CD - FINLAND
Progressive/progressive rock










Out of capitol Helsinki comes a group Club Merano, founded around key person - Harpov , who is a singer, guitarist, moog player and author. A band are consists of 7 persons, and all of them are well-experienced musicians, with carrear behind. After some period od so call sound and genre's explorations, a group has found a wanting performing formula. Finally, their full - length " High Road", introduces them as a band, whose interesting fields touches elements of progressive music and progressive rock as well.  All of 11 present songs also  balancing between 70's influental prog rock and less psychedelic pop tendencies. We can find hidden Genesis and Yes influental traces in their music, but Finnish fellows also shows  own capabilities and views as well. Interesting arrangments includings, as same as pleasent atmosphere, characterize its materials in general. " High Road"  as a album deliver a good atmosphere and mood, and deserve a repeatable listenings...

Rating : 8 / 10
C / o : www.myspace.com/clubmerano

THE GALACTIC COWBOY ORCHESTRA ( USA )

Info / press

   
THE GALACTIC COWBOY ORCHESTRA  ( USA )


The Galactic Cowboy Orchestra is unique and powerful ensamble that fuses an eclectic mix of original and traditional bluegrass-edged tunes with jazz and worldfusion element.Their music is Chick Corea meets The Dixie Dregs, meets A Prairie Home Companion. The mix ranges from highly accessible bluegrass tunes to extreme arrangments of  East Indian Ragas. GCO's instrumentation includes guitar, fiddle, bass and drums.The widely versitale instrumentals are accessible to music-lovers of all ages.
They are a brand new band that is already making  a name for itself in the national music scene. Two of the Orchestra's pieces were performed on a Prairie Home Comanion in November of 2008!

Discography :

-  Lookin' For A Little Strange  2009
- All Out Of Peaches   2011

C / o : www.galacticcowboyorchestra.com

CHUCK BRODSKY - Subtotal Eclipse

CHUCK BRODSKY
" Subtotal Eclipse "
( Chuck Brodsky.com Records ) 2011.
CD
Folk/roots/songwritings - USA










Singer / songwriter Chuck Brodsky is a longest period in the " saddle". He started out his carrear during the first part of the 90's, and first album - " A Fingerpainter's Murals", he has released in 1995. During the years, with actuelle one he recorded a 9 albums. " Subtotal Eclipse ", a CD from previous 2011 year, with 12 tracks in, is his still fresh product.On the American folkie scene,  Chuck is recognized as a story-telling author and singer, whose songs also posses  elements of humor and specifical sensitivity.
He also draws most of his characters from real life. " Subtotal Eclipse " is another release, with similiar psychology and atmosphere.
A songs are mostly done in mid to mid-up tempo, with interesting arrangments additionals. Some of present songs posses more so call " narrative " approach than the others, and in some way Chuck's method of vocalization knows to remind on earliest Dylan's  works.Chuck also posses a pleasent voice, and most of his songs are acceptable for radio usings...

Rating : 7, 5 / 10
C / o : www.chuckbrodsky.com

JOHN STATZ - Old Fashioned

JOHN STATZ
" Old Fashioned "
( Yer Bird Records ) 2012.
CD - USA
Folk/roots/americana/songwritings









John Statz is a singer / songwriter and a world traveller. He is continiously discographically active, and his first album he has released in 2006. He also visited Slovenia and Hungary, and he is  a owner of EP from 2011, entitled " The Budapest Sessions".  He penned a songs in best old manner traditions, and his works are influental by the 70's period as well. Some similiarities comes to the kitchen and legacy of mighty James Taylor, but this is just a starting comparative touch, cos' Mr. Statz finds his own way of composing and performing. With minnimal following instrumentations, he reproduce strong emotionals, and present songs are mostly done in mid or slower down tempo. I would specially recomand a 6th track - " Baltimore" with hypnotic and repeatable listenable potentials, but all other songs deserves again playings. " Old Fashioned " is interesting and inspirative product, especially for 70's traditionalists and fans...

Rating : 8 / 10
C / o : www.johnstatz.bandcamp.com

THE SWEET TRADE ( USA )

THE SWEET TRADE  ( USA )












While Llano Blue plucks and strums rhythmically on an eight - string ukulele, and sings longingly about bloodsuckers and buccaneers,Sean Malroy's sweeping violin riffs offer dynamic counter melodies and lead lines, as well as haunting atmospheres.
Filled out with accents  of banjo, mandolin, piano , bass and percussion, The Sweet Trade's new album " Pistols ans Parasols", ferries you into  a world of existential baladry, bouncy acoustic pop, and the occasional swoon-inducing instrumental. Like Beirut, Deotchka, or the Decemberists, but with fewer members, this duo offer up complex music with unconventional instrumentation that still manages to touch your heart and get stuck in your head.
Often performing in costume and makeup, The Sweet Trade have played their songs in cabaret variety shows as part of sf Boylesque, in drag shows and poetry slams, and alongside such Bay Area darlings as kitten on the Keys, Jason Brock, Flip Cassidy, Vagabondage, and The Family Crest From Cafe Royale and Bazaar Cafe, to Infusion Lounge and Bubble Lounge, from Oakland's burning man event, Sand by the  Ton to San Francisco's Castro Street Fair, The Sweet Trade enjoy performing their original music as well as the odd eighties cover, or sing-along pirate sea chantey...
The Sweet Trade's debut full-length album, " Pistols and Parasols", is on sale on ITunes, bandcamp, Amazon, and emusic, and features 11 original songs full of danger  and decadence. With a batch of inventive homemade music videos in the works, and a West Coast tour planned, The Sweeet  Trade is poised to take over the world!

C / o : www.thesweettrade.net

THE DANA FUCHS BAND - Lonely For A Lifetime

THE DANA FUCHS BAND
" Lonely For A Lifetime "
(Antler King Records) 2011/2003.
CD
Rock/blues rock/roots rock - USA











Dana Fuchs is a singer /songwriter and actress, active on a world stage for a years. Her debut album from 2003  " Lonely For A Lifetime " , has been reissued during the previous 2011 year, and mainly European audience got the chance to find more information about Dana's entire carrer. " Lonely For A Lifetime" with 10 tracks in, introduces Dana as a convinceble singer and author, faithfull to 70's rock tradition and emotionals. Some bluesy feelings, southern pastiche, as same as so call old school traditions can find in her materials as well. Some reviewers used to compare her voice with Janis Joplin's way of singing, and to be honest, exists some similiarities, but Dana is a also singer with strong self -control vocal domination..Complete materials posses insightful lyrical approach and radio friendly usings. Fine album, especially for the followers of 70's period...

Rating : 8 , 5 / 10
www.danafuchs.com

SHANNON McNALLY - Western Ballad

SHANNON McNALLY
" Western Ballad "
( Sacred Sumac Records ) 2011.
CD
Americana /songwritings - USA












Shannon Mc Nally is a singer/songwriter, born in Hempstead, Long Island. She started her sucessfull carrear playing in a clubs , and during the years,  she was also discographically  active. " Western Ballad " is her  6th product, released during the previous 2011 year.
All songs except s/t " Western Ballad" ( penned by Allen Ginsberg ), she wrote with her  long time collaborator Mark Bingham, who was also arranger and producer of present materials. Shannon is a pleasent and romantic singer, and her insightful and warm lyrical themes are  fullfield with mid or slower up tempo songs, done in country, honky tonk, cajun, folkie mood, and with  same or similiar realization. There are 11 pretty listenable tracks, also acceptable for radio usings and repeateble playings. Absolutelly recomandable....

Rating : 8 , 5 / 10
C / o : www.shannonmcnally.com