Browsing Category

Blues Music Blog & Promotion

Light My Fuse: New Jersey blues royalty Matt O’Ree Band splendidly spark up that real ‘Rock N Roll Hoochie Koo’

Posted on 6 July 2021

Singing the blues away and getting back on top where they belong after an unforeseen time away from playing live to reflect, Matt O’Ree Band are at their crowd-yelling best with the ultra catchy new visuals for ‘Rock N Roll Hoochie Koo‘.

Matt O’Ree Band are a highly rated five-piece blues-rock act from New Jersey, USA. They jump effortlessly on stage and turn everyone’s mood around – as they are a band that bring the house down – with their world class sound which is absolutely timeless.

”Former guitarist for Bon Jovi, NY/NJ Blues Hall of Fame inductee, and crowned King Of The Blues by BB King himself, Matt O’Ree has been a driving force in the blues/rock music scene for the last twenty years.” – Matt O’Ree Band

You feel their stunning presence on this terrific track which is all about brushing away the bad vibes and rolling around in goodness again, with such an array of greatness on each second here.

”Over the past few years, The Matt O’Ree Band has done what most area bands do. They’ve played their shows, developed their sound, released their records, and very quietly built a massive fan base in the process. What makes this band different from all the others is that their local fan base includes Bruce Springsteen, David Bryan (Bon Jovi), Steve Cropper (Booker T & the MG’s), John Popper (Blues Traveler), Bernie Worell (P-Funk) and Hubert Sumlin (Howlin Wolf), all of whom had volunteered to perform on the band’s album, Brotherhood.” – Matt O’Ree Band

‘Rock N Roll Hoochie Koo‘ from the New Jersey-based Matt O’Ree Band, shows us a group in real top form as they sing with so much belief, the guitar riffs are quite tremendous and we are treated to such a gem on this wonderfully constructed track. This is a song the whole family can jive with, as the vibe is so alive and has you reaching for those dancing shoes again. Life is so good when there is quality music like this, to help forget all those worries.

See this exciting new lyric video on YouTube and see more on the IG music page.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Mya Luv gives us another perspective on heartbreak with her single, ‘Fairytales and Lies’

Posted on 30 June 2021
Mya Luv

Mya Luv explores the relationship between fantasy and deception in her latest single, Fairytales and Lies that runs through as an ensemble of indie, jazz, blues and neo-soul; each progressive unpredictable twist leaves you more immersed in the tale that the soulstress alchemically weaved.

Mya’s rich, deep and direct vocals allow you to fall into the release, hook, line, and sinker while the soundscape shifts from accordant indie guitars to a jazz infusion complete with a soul-filling horn section. Discernibly, the sweetest spot in the soundscape is when the bluesy guitar work starts to bring a New Orleans-style into the experimental but instantly accessible soundscape.

Fairytales and Lies is available to stream via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Unwriters deliver serious sonic flavour in their blues-funk-rock single, ‘The Devil’s Run’.

Posted on 23 June 2021
The Devil's Run (Freedom & Justice) by Tᕼᕮ ᑌᑎᗯᖇITᕮᖇS

Italian alt-rock outfit The Unwriters have unleashed their latest blues-funk-rock single, The Devil’s Run (Freedom & Justice); any fans of Black Midi will want it in their ears. Despite the, quite literally, devilish sensibility to the single, there’s a potent amount of soul weaved into the psychotropic release.

The funk-riding bass lines, reverb-drenched choppy guitar chords, snapping percussion, and psych-heavy synths all pull together to offer some serious sonic flavour that you’ll want to devour time and time again.

The Unwriters may be relatively fresh from their inception, but between them, they have over 25 years of experience in the industry, which goes a long way in explaining the level of maturity in their highly nuanced sound that dabbles in everything from old school hip hop to gospel.

The Devil’s Run is now available to stream and download via Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Ricky Hoffman sings the Black Cat Blues in his latest alt indie-folk single.

Posted on 9 June 2021
Debut Demo by Ricky Hoffman

Fans of Neutral Milk Hotel, the Microphones, Elliott Smith and Sufjan Stevens will want to hear Wisconsin singer-songwriter Ricky Hoffman play the ‘Black Cat Blues’.

The expressively ardent Midwest folk single wouldn’t be out of place amongst other iconic cat-inspired tracks; it carries the same endearing panache as Stray Cats’ Stray Cat Strut, Squeeze’s Cool for Cats, and, of course, Love Cats by The Cure. Through the snappy percussion, accordant rings of the acoustic guitar, and the woody bends of the bass, Hoffman created the perfect platform for his unpolished and organic blues-folk vocals that will stay with you long after Black Cat Blues has faded to a close.

Black Cat Blues is now available to stream via Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Finley Clark explores growing pains in her latest bitter-sweet alt-pop track, ‘Lessons from a Great Cult Leader’.

Posted on 5 June 2021
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPx0eseiYWE

With her latest single, ‘Lessons from a Great Cult Leader’, Finley Clark paid ode to her greatest lyrical inspiration, Bob Dylan, in collaboration with guitarist Alex Bunghez and producer Stefan Paraschiv. The lyrics tell a coming-of-age story that explores rights of passages and paths to maturity; instrumentally, the bitter-sweet melodies capture the innocence and ecstasy of youth along with the growing pains that eventually kick in when we leave our naivety behind.

With the fiery rockabilly guitar solos, Lessons from a Great Cult Leader is blazoned with some serious rock stripes; with Finley’s effect-laden vocals and the dancey beats, you’ll be thrown right back to 90s Britpop. Any fans of Garbage, The Cardigans and the Cranberries will definitely want to experience this authentically infectious track for themselves.

Lessons from a Great Cult Leader released on May 24th; you can check it out for yourselves by heading over to YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Take a rural trip with Mike and the Psychedelic Humans debut single, ‘UFO’.

Posted on 4 June 2021

Why listen to Alex Jones ranting about UFOs when you could listen to Mike and the Psychedelic Humans’ debut single, UFO, which brings small-town rural vibes to international airwaves and celebrates the quintessential nature of them?

UFO is a psych-rock soiree that takes you deep into the heart of the old-school Louisiana funk sound while tapping into the soul of raw Chicago blues. It’s a psychedelic trip that any city slicker will want to take. With vocal reminiscence to Frank Zappa, UFO is all too efficacious at abducting your consciousness and filling it with kaleidoscopic colour. Naturally, we can’t wait to hear what comes next from Mike and the Psychedelic Humans.

UFO is now available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Cinematic Stoner Rock Meets Folk in Mal Hombre’s Latest Single, ‘When It Rains’

Posted on 4 June 2021
Mal Hombre

Any fans of Mazzy Star will want to tune into Mal Hombre’s latest single, When It Rains, featuring vocals from Coco SaFir. The soft blues slides and bends in the intro give way to a creeping soundscape that will allow you to imagine what the soundtrack would sound like if Tarantino and Lynch Co-Produced a film.

Coco SaFir’s vocals perfectly complement Mal Hombre’s fragile yet resoundingly cinematic instrumental style as it flows through a myriad of stylistic twists and turns. With the soft saxophones as the track gears up for a psychedelic outro, you won’t need to smoke to get high with this 70s-inspired stoner rock track that also introduces elements of folk, jazz and synthpop.

When It Rains is one of those tragically rare singles that compels you to crank up the volume until you can’t quite tell if you’re absorbing the single or it is absorbing you. It’s quite literally a breathtaking single that we couldn’t speak more highly of.

You can check out Mal Hombre via his website or Facebook.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Miss Garbo avert archetypes in their latest love song, ‘Every Other Week’.

Posted on 2 June 2021

South London’s soul outfit, Miss Garbo, released their latest single, Every Other Week, on May 21st; the founding members, Louise O’Hara and Andy Chapman have exactly what it takes to become the Sonny & Cher of this generation.

The easy guitar melodies coalesce with the ardent harmonic ebbs and flow from O’Hara’s endlessly mesmerising vocals as they stay true to the storytelling style of folk while incorporating elements of soul-pop.

Every Other Week is dedicated to anyone who has been in a complex romantic situation. Given that Monogamy isn’t a one size fits all kind of affair anymore, it is incredibly refreshing to hear this social paradigm shift reflected honestly in one of the most relatable love songs that you’ll hear this year.

Every Other Week is available to stream and download on all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Cam Schnell sings the Movin’ On Blues in his latest decade-spanning hit

Posted on 1 June 2021

‘Movin On Blues’ is the latest scuzzed-up blues-rock single released by the archaically-inspired artist Cam Schnell who pulls inspiration from different genres and decades to create contemporary hits that make our modern existence one a little less disconnected.

With Movin’ On Blues, you get the ultimate redemption story told through whiskey-soaked vocals that groove along with the rockabilly walking rhythms and hints of 70s psych-rock. The single offers the anthemic furore that you’d expect from any self-respecting rock n roll artist in 2021. If you find space on your playlists for the Black Keys and the Jim Jones Revue with their revivalist sounds, you’ll also want to make room for Cam Schnell’s retro magnetism.

Movin’ On Blues is now available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Where Will I be: Norwich band Leadboots worry where the road will lead on ‘Ten Years Time’

Posted on 31 May 2021

Taken off their enthusiastically rousing five-track EP from 2020 called ‘Call of the Void‘, Leadboots stomp purposely into the house with muddy feet aplenty on the reflective single named ‘Ten Years Time‘.

Leadboots is a foot-tap-appealingly awesome four-piece indie-rock/folk/bluesy-fueled band from Norwich, England. They show their vast experience with a catchy single here – and have a real natural rhythm with zero ego – which makes them such a fun listen.

You feel the bounce of their smooth combination lift you up like a trampoline, as the riff has you loving each second you entrench yourself into gladly. This confident English band have a superb style and take you for a ride that feels like you have just gone down a satisfying water-slide.

‘Ten Years Time’ from Norwich-based indie-fusion band Leadboots, is a story that makes you wonder what is going to happen down the wind-swept and dilapidation-filled world, that can really get you down in the dumps. After all the isolation, the danger is that over-thinking is leading us down dark and dingy paths, that are actually unnecessary if you just think positive.

Stream this top new single on Spotify and see more info on the voyage via FB.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen