Browsing Tag

Chris Cornell

Tariq.B entered the melodic rock pantheon with his single, You Keep My World Alight

Posted on 12 October 2024

Tariq.B joined Eddie Vedder and Chris Cornell in the pantheon of rock evocateurs with his latest melodic rock emotional awakening, You Keep My World Alight, which will unearth feelings you didn’t know lingered in the sediment of your soul.

The song’s title cleverly underplays the vivid romanticism and raw pop-rock melodies that pulse at the heart of this panorama of raw, vulnerable passion which once and for all proves that romance isn’t dead in our era proliferated by strands of superficial connection.

You Keep My World Alight is an undeniable attestation to how the Pakistan-born, Southwest London-residing artist has mastered the art of acoustic sensitivity; every guitar chord hits a raw nerve as the progressions flow with cinematic sepia-tinged imagery and the warm glow of alt-90s tones.

Famed for his live performances across the UK, international airplay and plaudits from BBC Introducing, Tariq.B is well on his way to filling stadiums as wholly as he fuels souls with his sound. He’s a rare artist who instantly makes you feel at home in his honeyed and honed vocal timbre.

You Keep My World Alight is now available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

LuisG delivered a raw indie-rock shot of redemption with ‘Second Chances’

Posted on 29 May 2024

If you paired the pensive sting of The Verve with the euphonic consolation of Nada Surf’s most heart-wrenching hits and added the rugged heart-in-throat signature of Chris Cornell, you’d come incredibly close to what LuisG created for the title single of his debut LP, Second Chances.

The track finds a tender way of advocating for redemption. Though many of us operate as though we have only known wrong when it comes from the vindictiveness of others, Second Chances prises your mind open to the reality that we’re all leagues away from perfection. Through this vulnerable, confessionally powerful release, LuisG put his heart on the line; you can’t help but follow suit as you sink into the absolution of the melodies.

LuisG, with roots in indie rock, pop, emo, and folk, is increasingly renowned for filtering his powerful melodic style and evocative storytelling through a Southern Cali lens. Based in Las Cruces, NM, he has carved out a niche for himself in both online spaces and local circles. His journey, marked by reflective and personal songwriting, has seen a progression from his first single, Waves, in January 2022 to his debut EP, Somewhere to Call Home, later that year.

Second Chances is now available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Love Bug Junkie delivered an alchemic masterclass in vintage tonality with ‘Voodoo Woman’

Posted on 29 November 2023

Voodoo Woman, the latest single by North Carolina’s own Love Bug Junkie, is a bluesy rock revelation steeped in the allure of authentic Americana. As the track opens, listeners are immediately transported to a dimly lit juke joint, where the air is thick with the scent of smouldering incense and the promise of enchantment. The band, known for their emotionally charged and robust sound, has managed to bottle the alchemy of a voodoo priestess’ charm and pour it generously into their music.

The song is a masterclass in vintage tonality, with guitar riffs that cry out with the wisdom of the old spirits and a rhythm section that thumps in time with the heartbeat of the bayou. Love Bug Junkie’s vocal prowess is on full display, finding a haunting middle ground between the Prince of Darkness, Ozzy Osbourne, and the soul-penetrating timbre of Chris Cornell. It’s this unique blend that also conjures vibes reminiscent of My Morning Jacket during their It Still Moves era, yet the band infuses their own distinct essence into the mix.

Voodoo Woman is a sensory experience which taps into a raw, almost primal energy that is both captivating and inspiring. Their performance, whether live or recorded, showcases a love for music that transcends genre and era. With their eyes set on leaving an indelible mark on the music industry, Voodoo Woman serves as a powerful statement of intent from Love Bug Junkie. This band unites their audience in the shared space of rhythm and blues, with the promise of uniting people through the undeniable power of rock music.

Stream Voodoo Woman on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Infatuation takes the wheel in Amenazar’s latest slice of seductive soul rock, Get It On

Posted on 29 May 2023

If Incubus emanated the riff-driven raw sex appeal of Velvet Revolver and the soul of Chris Cornell, their records would run in the same red-hot vein as Amenazar’s latest single, Get it On.

The Kansas City prodigal sons of soul rock are renowned for their high-energy live shows; perceptibly, their alchemic approach to new-era rock n roll resonates just as well on the airwaves, given the intoxicatingly impassioned magnetism of Get It On, which allows the seduction to run as an undertone in the single which lets romantic infatuation take the wheel and drive.

The working-class emissaries of reverent alt-rock records should be on the radars of every rock aficionado keen to savour the best of contemporary rock. We can’t wait to hear what innovation they unleash next.

Get It On was officially released on May 19; check it out on YouTube and Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Flying Oceans lit up the Manchester music scene with their soul-stirring funk-rock fusion, Circles

Posted on 26 May 2022
Flying Oceans

The Manchester music scene became infinitely richer for the latest release from the funk-rock pioneers, Flying Oceans. If you can imagine what it would have sounded like if Incubus abstracted their plaintiveness and implanted unbridled soul, you will get an idea of the stirring alchemy that Circles delivered.

With the guitars consistently transitioning between roots-deep funk chops and jangly Marr-Esque rhythm and the seductively low basslines bringing just as much gravitas as Mr Bungle’s, Circles has all the makings of a playlist staple for anyone that wants to find a slice of aural solace in our disjointing times where it’s all but impossible to find rhyme or reason away from the airwaves.

Hear Flying Oceans’ latest single, Circles, here.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Nav’s Hook paid tribute to the heroes that we are all indebted to in his latest single, L.I.A.H.

Posted on 29 March 2022

It seems a lifetime ago since we were all empathising with the plight and applauding the heroism of frontline health workers; for his latest single, L.I.A.H., Nav’s Hook brought us right back with his fitting tribute to their selfless resolve and resilience.

L.I.A.H. (Lighthouse in a Hurricane) gives Soul Asylum a run for its money in terms of intrinsic emotional gravity; vocally, Nav’s Hook carries the gravitas of Chris Cornell over the delicately strummed acoustic strings, shimmering reverb from electric guitars and efficaciously minimalist percussion.

We’re stoked to hear Nav’s Hook on stellar form once again. His songwriting ability makes this increasingly confusing planet make infinitely more sense. When you pair that with his refreshing introspection, it’s a winning combination.

The official lyric video to L.I.A.H. premiered on March 17th, 2022. You can check it out for yourselves by heading over to YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Ger Lane indoctrinates us in ‘The New Revolution in Love’ in his stadium-worthy alt-rock track

Posted on 8 November 2021

Irish-born, London-based Avant Rock artist Ger Lane’s seminal single, The New Revolution in Love, carries enough soul to remind you that you’ve got one of your very own. While the lyrics prise affection, the instrumentals submerge you in a sonorous pool of psych-tinged, shoegazey alt-rock.

The sultry psychotropic track is an obsession-worthy nostalgia trip that will instantly transfix any alt 90s fans. Right from the intro, Zane Scott’s drums arrest your rhythmic pulses with the caustic hits that create visceral friction against the effect-laden angular guitars. With vocals as captivating in their stridency as Chris Cornell’s, abject apathy isn’t an option once you hit play, which may sound hyperbolic in our age of ennui, but if anyone can deliver aural salvation; it is Ger Lane.

As for Tim Bazell’s production, Kevin Shields couldn’t have pulled The New Revolution in Love together better. It should be a paradox for a single soundscape to unravel as visceral and hypnotic simultaneously, but the stadium-ready hit did just that and plenty more. It is enough to make Arcade Fire sound flat and pedestrian.

Check out The New Revolution in Love, featuring the London Brazilian Choir for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

 

Update your alt-rock playlists with The Soundwave Club’s latest single, The Letter, featuring Dirty Picks

Posted on 3 July 2021

If Chris Cornell picked up a few more pop-punk sensibilities for Soundgarden’s single, ‘Rusty Cage’, it would have run in the same vein as The Soundwave Club’s sophomore single, The Letter, featuring Dirty Picks.

With infectiously melodic hooks that are sharp enough to catch in your throat and the 00s-style alt-rock vocals that are reminiscent of Shinedown, Breaking Benjamin, Creed and Three Days Grace, The Letter carries all of the hallmarks of an anthemic alt-rock playlist staple.

The Soundwave Club formed in 2020 during the pandemic when the life-long Santiago-hailing friends Erick Molina and Irene Rodriguez jammed and started to write and release their own material with the help of session musicians.

The Letter is now available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

 

Apollo’s Army – Drive: Infectiously Feisty Indie Alt Rock

Posted on 13 August 2020

If you could imagine what it would sound like if The Black Keys threw nuances of raucous Punk and Grunge into their rhythmically spellbinding singles, you’ll get an idea of what will hit you when you hit play on Apollo’s Army’s single “Drive”.

Drive is just one of the super-charged singles which you will find on the US-based artist’s debut album Welcome to the Army which was a decade in the making. Which means that Welcome to the Army is a rare record which offers the teen angst that initially inspired the record performed by an indisputable powerhouse of musicians.

Drive is packed with anthemic appeal thanks to the massive infectious choruses, enigmatic vocals, and then there’s the riffs, my God the riffs. While I’ll roll my eyes at most showy shredding, there’s something infinitely absorbing about Wah-soaked sonic blazing solo work in Drive.

You can check out Apollo’s Army’s single along with the rest of their 2020 album by heading over to Spotify or their official website where you’ll find more ways to stream their snarling Alt Indie hit.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Chris Hobart has dropped his single Wolf Pack: Synth Indie Rock at it’s finest

Posted on 20 April 2020

Up and coming artist Chris Hobart has dropped his single ‘Wolf Pack’ embracing the wholesome sound of Synth Indie Rock, it’s a masterpiece.

An impactful instrumentation pulses through this piece, that loud bang on the drum, using the synthesizer to create that catchy melody and adding in humming and a chant, giving it a more powerful meaning.

The way the rhythm is changed from the beginning, middle and end keeps you listening. Towards the halfway point, is where the Indie Rock elements take their lead, the loud high-pitched riffs on the guitar, the clash on the drums but still keeping that same synthesized beat but lowering the volume on it so it gently collides alongside the rest.

Chris creates a feeling of suspense through his vocal ranges, keeping it rather flat in places but hitting them high notes perfectly, having a rather silvery tone when it comes to his voice and wide array of pitches

This one is one that will be listened to by many and will definitely be on repeat, so be sure to check this one out.

Head over to SoundCloud now to listen to Chris Hobart’s track Wolf Pack.

Review by Karley Myall