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Blues Music Blog & Promotion

NYC’s Summer Fling put the soul in funk-rock with ‘Blissful Haze’

Posted on 25 May 2024

NYC’s Summer Fling broke their two-year spell of silence by conjuring an elemental force of feel-good furore in their single, Blissful Haze, which delivers exactly what it says on the titular tin.

Using high-energy funk-rock as the stylistic bedrock of the release and finding room to inject soul, blues, pop, and jazz, the seven-piece powerhouse ensured Blissful Haze transcends sound to visualise a state of mind you can enter simply by hitting play on the single which filters nostalgia through a modern indie pop lens.

Few vocalists could match the electrifying energy of the dynamic instrumental arrangement that layers shimmering organs over funk rhythms and hard-hitting horns, but Eddie Kam, an indomitable emissary of charisma, went supernova on the infectiously zealous soul.

With each member of Summer Fling a recently graduated jazz musician, you can rest assured that you’re in rhythmically safe hands as you get taken through the helter-skelter ride of rapture.

Blissful Haze was officially released on May 10th; stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Michel Héroux Orchestrated Synesthetic Euphoria in the Serenity of His Jazz Fusion Installation, Folk Song

Posted on 24 May 2024
Michel Heroux

Montreal-based guitarist, composer, arranger, and educator, Michel Héroux allowed his latest instrumental piece, Folk Song, to become a paragon of his fusionist prestige. His ability to translate technical skill, while balancing jazz, blues, rock, pop, rock, classical and experimental elements, into profoundly evocative sensory experiences which transcend auditory bliss is superlative – to say the least.

With each progression an explosion of vibrant, almost tropical, soul, you can’t help but be enveloped by the synesthesia-bestowed hues which blossom around the complex layers of the creatively uninhibited melodies which serenade you away from the mundanity of material reality and implant you in a sonic scene of utopia. If you need to be reminded of the capacity for fret-carved beauty, hit play.

Folk Song will be available to stream on all major platforms from May 24th. Discover Michel Héroux via his official website and Facebook.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Witness the resurrection of old-school soul in Shaun Finn’s plea for salvation, Mrs. Doctor

Posted on 18 May 2024

There’s no aural cocktail for the soul as alchemically potent as the opening soul rock salvo, Mrs. Doctor, from Shaun Finn’s debut EP, Oak & King.

The conduit for the soul of old-school soul and blues used euphonic melodic cadences to filter raw and confronting lyricism through, ensuring the vintage timbres of the track hit with maximum dualistic impact. The urgency within the pleas for medicinal salvation matches the sincerity of the delivery, which is sure to strike a chord of empathy with anyone who isn’t a long way down the sociopathic spectrum.

Just when you thought that Shaun Finn couldn’t possibly impress anymore, the smoky laidback arcane air slips away to make room for one of the most paralysing blues-rock guitar solos carved on this side of the millennium.

The Vancouver-based artist’s ability to reach out directly to you while immersing yourself in his emotional expression is one thing. The talent exhibited in this vignette of a soul searching for a cure is another. Why his name isn’t in lights across international stadiums is honestly beyond me.

Stream Shaun Finn’s debut EP, Oak & King on Spotify or stream the official music video on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

JD Kucharik rekindled the soul of blues rock with ‘Leavin After Midnight’

Posted on 30 April 2024

JD Kucharik deserves to be placed on the same pedestal as Santana after releasing his INCEPTION EP, featuring the standout single, Leavin After Midnight, which delivers a sound rich in vintage blues rock reverence.

Hit play and encounter a deft evocation of classic blues rock soul that JD Kucharik has meticulously honed over decades. The release is the epitome of aural alchemy; the otherworldly presence comes as a result of the arcane electricity of its instrumental arrangement with Kucharik’s commandingly charismatic vocal presence. The narrative woven through the tune—a story of a fugitive seeking transient solace—adds a compelling lyrical depth to the rich instrumental backdrop.

With a career spanning over 50 years, Kucharik’s roots in blues and rock are evident as he plays the B3 Hammond, piano, guitar, or drums. His approach to music remains steadfastly organic, eschewing auto-tune and computer-driven edits for real-time, hard-earned sound craftsmanship. His dedication to traditional recording methods ensures that each release, whether from his extensive archives or fresh from the studio, resonates with authenticity and passion.

Leavin After Midnight was released as part of JD Kucharik’s EP, INCEPTION, on April 20; stream the release on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Meet the ultimate aural debonair in Emanuel Edner’s artfully slick pop hit, My Dear

Posted on 19 April 2024

If The Last Dinner Party added one more guest, based on the zanily baroque theatrics in the title single, My Dear, from his debut EP, Emanuel Edner would be the guest of honour.

Edner, who deserves to go down in history as the ultimate aural debonair, created the ultimate equilibrium between dark and twisted musical theatre and a slick electro-pop aesthetic that would be equally at home in the Kraftwerk discography.

As the track progresses, the synth-swathed groove pockets deepen with the licks of funk and modernised blues, refusing to fit within the parameters of pigeonholes in the process. Yet, it is the Stockholm-born singer-songwriter’s charismatic character which refuses to leave the centre stage that becomes the standout source of magnetism within My Dear, which takes a Machiavellian devil may care approach to mourning a breakup.

It’s impossible not to get caught up in the feverish zealous retro-futuristic energy within My Dear; Emanuel Edner isn’t a talent you would want to underestimate.

Stream the MY DEAR EP in full via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Jon Fritz – Cold Hard Rain: A Soulful Storm of Genre-Defying Rock Reverie

Posted on 15 April 2024

When it rains, it pours, and in Cold Hard Rain, the latest single from the singer-songwriter and touring troubadour Jon Fritz, the soulful rock reverie pours deliciously.

After an intro of layered gospel-esque harmonies, Cold Hard Rain sells vintage indie rock sanctuary; the bluesy guitar bends carve chemistry across the upbeat rhythm section as Jon Fritz vocalises in the middle ground beyond college radio rock and grunge. Vedder himself couldn’t have performed this release better.

There are expansive releases; then there are singles that refuse to inhibit themselves by following genre constraints and register as pure unbridled communications from the soul; Cold Hard Rain cascades into the latter camp with the blissfully constructed melodies that turn on a dime between 90s nostalgia, 80s soaring solos and 70s rock n roll stripes. It is within these cohesive confluences that John Fritz truly shines; try as you might, there’s no resisting being injected by the rugged euphoria which resounds in the rhythmic downpour of Cold Hard Rain.

Cold Hard Rain was officially released on April 4th; stream the single on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Be a (Bar)Fly on the Wall with Jude & The Strangers’ Standout Single Beggar’s Tavern

Posted on 10 April 2024
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Some tracks ensnare you with hooks, others dig to the depths of your soul; Beggar’s Tavern by Jude & The Strangers dug into the trenches of the latter camp.

Imagine sinking beers with Bukowski, drinking in the sanctifying feeling of listening to Journey, experiencing the panoramically artistic gravitas of Father John Misty, and getting your blues rock licks as a courtesy of the Black Keys simultaneously, then you’ll get an idea of what this era-spanning Tour De Force delivers.

With all the infectious charisma of Jim Jones himself, singer-songwriter Aiden Jude doesn’t just command attention, he drenches his work in kinetic emotion. With a sonic iteration of a borstal breakout to conclude the single, it’s safe to say we’re beyond desperate to hear the rest of the Beggar’s Tavern LP which will arrive in May 2023. The New Jersey music scene won’t know what has hit it after the launch.

Beggar’s Tavern is now available to stream on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Backwoods Creek delivered the ultimate Southern soul-rock anthem ‘Alright’

Posted on 15 March 2024

Sensing cynicism in the universal waters, Backwoods Creek prescribed a potent dose of optimism with their latest single, ‘Alright’. The refreshing take on bluesy soul-swathed Southern rock played fast and loose with the genre constraints while keeping the instrumental arrangement tight enough to unravel as every rock-inclined muso’s wet dream.

Part lyrical mantra, part musical Tour De Force, the UK-based quintet exhibited ‘Alright’ as a masterclass in balancing raw, overdriven guitars and whiskey-soaked vocals with an undercurrent of hope and redemption. It’s a track that carries the dynamic energy of power pop while remaining true to its bluesy rock and roll roots.

The virtuosic cohesion of the instrumentals showcases their skill and chemistry, honed through years of friendship and collaboration, and you don’t have to buy tickets to their live shows (even though you really should) to witness their infectious energy performance energy; the band’s electrifying aura is perfectly captured in this track.

No one can deny that while life is on a downward trajectory hearing everything will be alright prises ennui out of your perception. This life-affirming hit goes beyond reassurance –  it’s transformative.

Alright will hit the airwaves on March 15; check out the release via the official Backwoods Creek website.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Martin Packwood wrapped his latest jazz fusion, Moonlight in Paris, in the warmth of the Parisian night

Posted on 15 March 2024

Martin Packwood’s latest single, Moonlight in Paris, is a scintillatingly smooth journey through the streets of jazz fusion, where every note feels like a step along the Seine under a starlit sky. This amorous installation unravels as a sensory expedition, wrapped in the warmth of a Parisian night.

Packwood’s guitar work, reminiscent of the bluesy soulfulness of Eric Clapton, intertwines effortlessly with the jazz keys. The bluesy guitar notes, like whispers of a distant love affair, meld with percussive fills that don’t just give the score structure, they fill Moonlight in Paris with anticipation.  Each progression in the track teases the listener not unlike the narrative arc of a classic romance.

The genius of Packwood lies in his ability to draw from a diverse palette of influences. His style, a confluence of Santana’s rhythmic mastery and the improvisational spirit of jazz, makes Moonlight in Paris a track that transcends mere auditory experience. It’s a piece that paints pictures, evoking the filmic aura of a David Lynch creation.

This release, following Packwood’s consistent contributions to the jazz-rock fusion domain, confirms his place as a sculptor of soundscapes rather than just a musician. Moonlight in Paris is a nocturnal stroll through the heart of jazz fusion, leaving listeners with a longing for just one more night in the city of lights.

Moonlight in Paris will officially release on March 15; stream the single on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

GETNER enriched the Manchester music scene with their expansively influenced Rock n Roll debut, White Walls

Posted on 8 March 2024

Manchester’s newest band of prodigal sons, GETNER, modernised vintage rock n roll tones with the shaking, rattling and rolling reverence in their debut single, White Walls.

With a rhythmic undercurrent reminiscent of The Undertones, an injection of Irish rock roots, garage-y blues rock nostalgia in the same vein as the Jim Jones Revue through the shimmering organ timbres and the barely tamed guitar riffs, White Walls is an expansively influenced Rock n Roll tour de force that asserts GETNER as one of the most promising Manchester bands on the scene.

By thriving on the unique sonic proclivities that each of the four members brought to the table, the band of superlatively talented artists ensured that White Walls hit the airwaves hard enough to bruise it. Feel the impact and be a part of GETNER’s inevitable ascent.

Stream the official music video for White Walls via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast