adam.riggins

Hear me out on this one please. This new band is actually really good, dispite how scary that dude in the middle looks. These guys and gal have a sound very similar to Rancid, Roots Radicals era. It’s punk rock, but not the pop-punk that seems to be popular. Heck, the song”Even Sleeping” has a bit of ska in it. These folks are the real deal. And if that wasn’t enough, the 14 song cd on Amazon MP3 is only $7.99.

From CCM Magazine:

With super-energetic performances that make the songs actually fun to listen to, and influences from east coast to west coast, old school to new wave (I can even forgive the one song that borderlines on ska), they rock. The melodies are catchy and the vocals are bold, with great interplay between the male and female voices, as the singing duties are shared by David and Lee Marie. Standout songs include “LCM,” “Homemade Valentine” and “Ditches.” But really, if you like punk, this is an album not to be missed.

Children 18:3 website

Amazon MP3 link (Only $8 for the cd!)

I would classify Moneen as an emo band.  Lots of emotion in the lyrics, and that sometimes can lead to some screaming and what sounds at times like wailing, if that makes sense.  Listen to some of their older stuff, you will hear what I am talking about.  Well, this latest release, Saying Something You Have Already Said, is different.  First of all, it is an EP, so there are only 5 songs on it.  Most of the songs are acoustic, and surprisingly refreshing.  There are some great arrangements musically, and vocally, the wailing and screaming is gone.  What you are left with is the same emotion delivered a little more gently.  Definitely worth the $4.95 on iTunes.  Give it a try!

iTunes Link

Today, I am listening to an artist by the name of Nikka Costa. Even though she has been in the music industry for a while, I had never heard of her until recently. I think the best way to sum up her sound is like a female version of Lenny Kravitz. Add some funk, soul, rock, and put it behind a good sassy voice (this girl has attitude, and I LIKE it!), and you kind of get the idea.

Wikipedia Entry

iTunes Link

Do yourself a favor. Go to iTunes, Amazon, or somewhere, and buy this cd right now. Or, at least go listen to some sound clips. Why, you ask? I have never really heard anyone like Ollabelle before. At times, it is like listening to the “O Brother Where Art Thou” soundtrack. Other times, it is a little more country-ish. And yet at other times, you will hear a slightly distorted slide-guitar. It is really hard to pinpoint the style of music, but whatever you call it, it works.

The female lead singer has a very soulful voice, raspy at times, and very pure. Mixed with acoustic guitars, the occasional Hammond B3 Organ, and old-timey Gospel lyrics, you get a very eclectic cd. “Elijah Rock” is a song I could imagine hearing in a smoky jazz lounge back in the 1950’s sung by a woman laying across a piano. You get the visual, right?

If this mini-review sounds a bit all over the place, you will understand why after listening to a few songs.

Amazon link (samples there)

10/10