THE PLASTIC PALS - Turn The Tide

THE PLASTIC PALS
" Turn The Tide "
( Polythene Records / Hemifran ) 2013.
CD
Americana - SWEDEN



                       




Out of Stockholm, Sweden, comes a band with americana touches in its approaches. The Plastic Pals band are consists of experienced musicians, whose carrear posses a continious signiture. A group has released a first album in 2008 year, entitled  " Good Carma Cafe". Actuelle offering a band has released in 2013 year. " Turn The Tide" covers a groups interesting fields in realistic manners. A  present songs posses melodicity with some dark atmospheric details. A Swedish fellows are clearly influental by the USA wave from the 80's and the 90's period, and some comparabilities leads to acts such as : Green On Red, The Long Ryders,  and The Dream Syndicate among others. Their friend and established figure in mentioned music area, Chris Casavas has given personal signiture as a producer, and he certainly did a good job. All of 13 present songs from album are  more or less similiar among them, without leading tune, but also without less interesting or boring moments.



Rating : 7, 5 / 10
C / o : www.theplasticpals.se
www.hemifran.com

WALTER ROOTSIE AND HIS BLUE CONNECTION - Dark Water

WALTER ROOTSIE AND HIS BLUE CONNECTION
" Dark Water "
( WRAF Records / Hemifran ) 2013.
CD
Roots rock / blues / americana - HOLLAND









Walter Rootsie is a songwriter out of Holland, well-known person in roots music area. His actuelle album " Dark Water", he has  recorded with mainly Finnish musicians, and this is a undoubtelly one of the most convinceble product if we speak about mentioned genres forms, released in first months of 2013 year. " Dark Water" are consists of 14 tracks in, released in roots, rock, americana, blues manner, with evident southern emotionals, good singin', and  respectable playings.
One evidental narrative approach is present in his tunes, and each of the songs posses a strong arrangments includings,  and well-done production.    " Dark Water" is also a pretty listenable product, without a weacker places.


Rating : 9 / 10
C / o : www.wrafrecords.com
www.hemifran.com

SMALL BLUES TRAP... featuring Georgia Sylleou - The Longest Road I Know

SMALL BLUES TRAP...  featuring Georgia Sylleou
" The Longest Road I Know "
( Shelter Home Studio / Anazitisi ) 2013.
CD
Various blues genres / rhythm and blues / psychedelic - GREECE








A pride and joy of Greek blues scene, Small Blues Trap band is in the center of its activity one more time, with actuelle album entitled " The Longest Road I Know ". This is their 4th issue.. - " Our Trap, " 2005; " Crossroad Ritual", 2006; " Red Snakes & Cave Bats",  2010 - albums, a group has released previously. This time a band has cooperated with female singer Georgia Sylleou, and her voice is  present on  4 tracks. Small Blues Trap one more time communicate with different blues, and not only blues forms, on its specific and unique way. A recognazible, untipical atmosphere dominate practically through complete album materials, and members from group did a lotta' emotionals and " southern" feelings to create a  own sound. I would also add that productional includings are  different from song to song, but lotta' psychedelic details also characterize a general album conception. A Greek fellows did a  respectable job one more time, and " The Longest Road I Know " satisfies from many aspects.

Rating : 8 / 10
C / o : www.smallbluestrap.gr

MATTEO PLINI - Wonderful Tragedy

MATTEO PLINI
" Wonderful Tragedy "
( EuRock Studio ) 2012.
EP CD
Rock / pop - ITALY




Matteo Plini is a songwriter and composer out of Italy, and a few days ago I have received a 4 tracks EP with his works.
 " Wondergul Tragedy"  introduces him as a certain singer, and author whose interesting spheres touches elements of rock and pop. He is emotional singer with evidental so call rock background and 3 of present songs posses a strong performing energy, with lotta' melodic includings. A closing tune is a half-ballad, also pretty available for radio usings. Matteo is ready and willing to expose his talent, and we'll see what the future bring. A songs from mentioned EP realistically covers his talent.



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

M.I.C. ( Canada / China )

Press / Info
M.I.C. ( Canada / China )











M.I.C. has been , is, and always will be, a band on a mission. Since, its conception as a Melodic RockPunk/Pop outfit in China in 2004, no high or low has determed this band from pushing the limits. Armed with radio friendly hooks and an obvious 70's influence, M.I.C. has been labelled by Rock United.com as a band " Out to conquer the world" M.I.C. has often been compared to band such as Cheap Trick, Thin Lizzy, Keith Richards, AC/DC, and even Green day.
 In a world over-saturated with wannable bands, however there are several things that set M.I.C. apart from the rest.
  One of the most notable is that no matter what style, tempo, or raw dirty sound the band produces, there is always that feel-good vive in  every song.
 In the face of constant line-up and demographic changes, M.I.C. has  racked up a long list of healthy accomplishments.
Live performances have been broadcast to millions across China and considerable radio airplay has been beamed across the globe. Album reviews have been widely circulated in Chinese and European publications, and countless webzines around the  world have carried the banner of M.I.C. On the live scene, M.I.C. has rocked everything from small clubs to stadiums, including the Internatioanl Tour Music Festival in China, followed by headining the East  Chengdu Music Festival and a few shows in Japan 2012.
After tearing up the music scene in China for eight years, band leader and songwriter, Yvon Serre, returned to his native Canada in April of 2012. Anticipating hard challenges back home, he returned with 20 new songs in his arsenal and hit the tarmac  running.  He wasted no time in recruiting old band mates from the Hasrry Straight Band ; Emilio, and Silvio. Now, looking to the future, this veteran lineup is now charged-up and ready to release MIC's fifth album titled " 5th Avenue".
  The new line-up boasts new members - Emilio Meleca on drums ( Skup TRacer/Scarecrow), Dennis Papadatos on bass ( The Carrera, Liberty Silver, Natalie Cole, Loverboy, GOB, Biff Naked, Dixie Chicks, Paul Brandt, Randy Bachman ), Silvio Potito on keyboards ( Perfect Strangers), and Mike O' Neil on back-up vocals and guitar ( Wednesday). Mike had a #1 Hit in Canada with " Last Kiss" back  in 1974. The album also includes special guests : Steve Skingley, for two songs on bass ( Rick Emitt Band, Triumph ), and David Colin Burt on guitar for 3 songs ( CANO ), plus lyrics on the song " Serial Killer by John Wilde ( Bangalore Choir, Powerworld ).
Following its January release M.I.C. plans to take the music to the streets of their homeland as well as China, Japan, and parts of Europe....

C / o : www.yvonserre.com/mic
www.reverbnation.com/madeinchine

ALGEBRA - Polymorph

ALGEBRA
" Polymorph "
( Self - released ) 2012.
CD
Thrash metal - SWITZERLAND








Algebra is a newer act out of Switzerland, formed back in 2008 year. During the forthcoming period a group has released a one demo,
                        EP, and finally a full-length, entitled " Polymorph ". A Swiss fellows works as a quartet, and they are faithful to old school genres variants.
                        Some similiarities and influences leads to groups such as a  Testament and Slayer , but a band has offered a fresh energy, evident
                        enthusism, and respectable performings. " Polymorph" are consists of  9 equalizing tracks, with agressive riffing and shouting offerings,
                        as same as with modern productional additionals. I can not find some other so call hidden message in its offering, but Swiss guys
                        under the thrash metal as a genre, has showed some well-done " tricks" and playings.

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

EASTWICK - A Moment From Now

EASTWICK
" A Moment From Now "
( Self - released / Hemifran ) 2010.
CD
Americana / folk / pop - SWEDEN








A Swedish quartet Eastwick started out its story in 2008 year, and discographically debuted in 2010 with 13 tracks album,
                        entitled " A Moment From Now" . Musically, they combine elements of americana, folk and pop in one unusual way, with
                        interesting arrangmants includings, and with unclassical performing realizations as well. They use cello, banjo , oftenly as a
                        leading instruments, and its album also characterize a presence of covers as same as original authors works. I will especially
                        recomand a band's versions of Bon Jovi song  " You Give Love A Bad Name " , and Mary Chapin Carpenter tune " Jubilee",
                        as a quite different than originals, but also listenable and with interesting performing realizations. Eastwick has offered its own views
                        in known musical therithory, and in many aspects they sound "optimistically", but at the same time as a serious act...


Rating : 7, 5 / 10
C / o : www.eastwick.se

CHRIS DAIR - Crossroads To Freedom

CHRIS DAIR
" Crossroads To Freedom "
( Self - released / Hemifran ) 2012.
CD
Blues - FRANCE








                       Chris Dair is a performer whose carrear started out a years ago. He has released a four albums, with different performing and
                    stylish variants, but " Crossroads To Freedom " is completelly decide to blues. Chris has offered a authors works, and introduce
                    himself as a convinceble guitarist and composer on 13 tracks from album. His songs are different among them, and different
                    blues variations dominates through album in general. Some tasteful soul, gospel, and even psychedelic traces are present here
                    and there. A pleasent atmosphere, as same as some forgotten 70's pastiche are also part of Chris's exposures . A songs are listenable,
                    and I would especially recomand a 8th track - " Lovin' You Too Much" as a highligh from complete album, where on equall way Chris shows
                    a certain and in the same time  inspirative playings.




Rating : 8 / 10
C / o : www.facebook.com/chris.dair1
www.hemifran.com

DISTORTED HARMONY - Utopia

DISTORTED HARMONY
" Utopia "
( Self - released ) 2012.
CD
Progressive metal / progressive - ISRAEL







Distorted Harmony is a newer act on progressive metal and rock field. As a band they started out its story in 2009 year, but
with consolidation of line-up in 2011, things were happened faster. As a older genres collegues from Orphaned Land, they are also
from  Israel,  a country as we know without too many progressive metal acts. Distorted Harmony debuted with " Utopia" album,
a full-length with 6 longest tracks in. A Israeli fellows are undoubtelly serious act. They have offered a complexive variant of
two forms, mentioned progressive metal and progressive, fulfield with strong jazz and neoclassical includings as well. Often uptempo
changes, a supremal technical exposure, brilliant vocalization, and nothing less clever arrangments creations, characterize its album
in general. They draw influences taken from the 70's and 80's progressive period, but originality is also their middle name.
" Utopia " is a modern and convinceble product, recomandable not only for the genre's followers...

Rating : 9 / 10
C / o : www.distortedharmony.com