Browsing Tag

country

Ludwik Konopko has released the ultimate bohemian alt-country playlist staple with his latest single, Chickee Chick

Posted on 23 January 2022

Ludwik Konopko’s latest single, Chickee Chick, is the ultimate playlist staple for any alt-country fans that aren’t looking to get the blues. The jazzy and progressive single has warm tones by the smorgasbord between the walking basslines, shimmering acoustic guitar chords and arresting infusion of slide guitars.

Even when the vocals kick in, they are sitting low enough in the mix to bring a touch of the human element but not detract away from the organic alchemy that is blossoming from Ludwik Konopko’s Avant-Garde flair.

The Lviv-born guitarist, composer, and arranger has been performing publicly since the age of 19. Just some of the notable ensembles that he’s been involved with include the Lviv National Philharmonic, Tea Fan Club, popular travelling bands and flamenco fusion groups. Notably, he poured every ounce of his creative life experience into the composition of Chikee Chick. It drips with bohemian cool and doesn’t fail to enamour along the way.

Chickee Chick is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Holding Your Hand: Virginia-based country artist Noel Williams sends us incredible debut track ‘Never Letting Go’

Posted on 18 January 2022

As she gently closes her eyes and recollects when they were apart for a while and she didn’t like the feeling at all, Noel Williams knows that she is in such a happier place now and is ‘Never Letting Go’.

Noel Williams is a small town Amherst County, Virginia-based indie country artist who was formally in the Army and performs with a respectful nod to the ’90s.

”She is a country artist through and through and been singing since she could speak-singing in churches and with various musical groups throughout her life.” ~ Noel Williams

With such a transfixing vocal ability that has you feeling so nostalgic as you remember holding hands with someone who makes your whole body glow with joy, Noel Williams is quite tremendously exquisite on her highly memorable debut single. As the air of contentment takes over rather quickly as she found her true love again, you feel that Noel will make use of this second chance to be with someone who was there the whole time.

‘Never Letting Go‘ from the Amherst County, Virginia-based indie country solo singer-songwriter Noel Williams, is one of those sweetly-made singles that you can’t help but turn all the way up to full volume. You sense that she is making up for a lost time in her music career but is in no rush – as she is self-aware enough to realize – that to be truly happy you need to be living in the moment, not the past.

Life is all about letting things flow anyway, as everything happens for a reason.

Listen to this truly special song on Spotify and see her socials on IG.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

He’s A Fool: Homeland Hope tells that boss to get lost on ‘Life Is Tough (But I’m a Whole Lot Tougher)’

Posted on 10 January 2022

Taken off their massively ambitious 25-track album, Homeland Hope shows us that we need to value ourselves despite all the noise in this wild world on ‘Life Is Tough (But I’m a Whole Lot Tougher)‘.

Homeland Hope is an American-based indie-country duo that makes the type of soundscapes that are filled with Christian values that has you tapping your toes and singing along.

”Growing up in North Carolina, Kathryn Bryant has always had country music in her blood. Michael Justin Lee, on the other hand, might seem to be a very unlikely person to become a country music creator, having been born in Hong Kong. Nevertheless, powered by a burning passion for country music, Lee perfectly complements Bryant, crafting spell-binding compositions and creating joyful music together as Homeland Hope.” ~ Homeland Hope

Presenting us a song that encourages us to brush away anything or anyone who is holding us back, Homeland Hope is at its honest best with a vocally-charged performance that is filled with courage and backed up with a likeable melodic blend that only seems to sweeten the soul. Heightened with a guitar-filled combination of merry melodies, you sense that they are only getting started on this delightfully inspiring journey of standing up for yourself.

‘Life Is Tough (But I’m a Whole Lot Tougher)‘ from the USA-based indie-country Homeland Hope, is a catchy new single all about staying strong no matter what challenges come your way. The world can be tough and people might try and throw sand in your eyes to distract you, but if you stay true to yourself then there is nothing that can really stop you from reaching your goals.

Hear this brand new YouTube audio.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Chuck Solo – Only time remains: A roots-rock effigy to love lost and unrelenting emotion

Posted on 31 December 2021
Only time remains by Chuck Solo

Sydney-based singer-songwriter, Chuck Solo, has released his roots-deep country pop-rock single, Only time remains, which runs through as a bitter-sweet effigy to love lost and unrelenting emotion to the tune of bluesy, choppy guitar chords and shimmering reverb.

Each note is plucked on his Strat by hand to boost the folky twang in the minimalist roots-rock track that allows his soulful yearning vocals to resound. Chris Isaak and Neil Diamond fans will instantly feel familiar with Only time remains through the stridently candid delivery of the sharp lyrics. Yet, Chuck Solo didn’t fall short on experimentalism with the sublime sonic layering of Only time remains. Which is accompanied by the equally as psychedelically sweet B-side single, Holding on (too tight). The crooned vocals and just as affectionate choral chords are enough to test your soul capacity’s to feel.

Only time remains is now available to stream and purchase via Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Pleasure And Pain: Idaho-based storyteller Bosco wonders where the love went on ‘UNME’

Posted on 28 December 2021

As he looks deep within her fiery soul to see where the love went to after all these years, Bosco is worried that the darkness might be too far within and covering up all the former radiant light on his latest single called ‘UNME‘.

Bosco Oliver aka Bosco is a proud father and unique solo indie Americana/Country/Blues singer-songwriter who is based in Pocatello, Idaho.

“This music is all I own, and I only own that as long as my mind works. I’ve spent my life writing music. It’s a spirit world to me.” ~ Bosco

With a towering presence that has you downright absorbed from start to finish, Bosco seems to possess the kind of raw voice that makes you take note and stop what you are doing immediately. He is a Dad first and an artist second – who shows us into his world that is soaked with gritty stories – that are only filled with truth and absent of that fake flash that so many unwisely fall into.

‘UNME‘ from the experienced Pocatello, Idaho-based Americana/Country/Blues solo artist Bosco, is such a striking track that it automatically takes you to a time when a past lover started to really concern you. He sings with real depth and these are proper lyrics that have been written by a man who has really lived – and could easily write a few books – that would be filled full of exciting stories.

This is the kind of classic sounding single, that you feel could live in any era as it makes you feel like you have heard one of those true underrated artists who like to stay underground as they make music for the love of creating memories.

See this new honest music video on YouTube and see more info via his IG.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

The Captive: Craig Gould tells us the sad story of the lonely prisoner who is held by the ‘Captain Of The Seas’

Posted on 16 December 2021

After the well-deserved success of his much-loved debut ‘Ain’t No Place To Hide‘, Craig Gould returns with the 2nd single that shall form part of his full project which is due for release in Spring 2022 on this heartbreaking tale about the fearsome ‘Captain Of The Seas‘.

Craig Gould is a Burton-on-Trent, UK-based indie alt-folk/Americana/country singer-songwriter and is also a highly inspirational Mental Health Campaigner with CALM.

As the heavy oceans take down someone who shouldn’t be chained up so cruelly, Craig Gould brings us a thought-provoking new single that takes you into such a thoughtful place to ponder deeply. There is so much to like about such a memorable track like this – that takes you into a whole new world of thinking – and imagining a life where you are at the mercy of someone so unnecessarily evil.

‘Captain Of The Seas‘ from the Burton-on-Trent, UK-based indie alt-folk/Americana/country singer-songwriter Craig Gould, is a vocally-pleasing effort of excellence that might have the hairs on your arms standing up to attention. He sings with such a joyful style and the well-constructed lyrics completely grab you by your soul, to lead you to into this cinematic-like story.

Being free is something we should never stop fighting for no matter what.

Hear this captivating single on Spotify and see what unfolds on his IG.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Learn From My Mistake: The Deserves tells us the true story of how ‘Love Is Strange’

Posted on 13 December 2021

Wrapped inside a highly-reflective tale of how a past relationship just appeared to sadly fade away like a lost shoe in the gusty wind, The Deserves explores the broad force of that weird feeling you can’t seem to ever explain on the breakup story of ‘Love Is Strange‘.

The Deserves is an indie-country band that performs amidst a vintage feel and carries you to a place that you can remember if you close your eyes long enough to recognise the time and place.

Guiding us into a somewhat sad story that transports you into a broken picture that was once so bright, The Deserves directs us into their world which is so pensive and sombre. This is the story of questioning why this didn’t work out, as the words fail and you put it down to bad timing to make you feel a bit better about the whole experience.

‘Love Is Strange‘ from the mysterious underground indie-country band The Deserves, is a thoughtful new single which will have you feeling so reminiscent about that previous relationship that just didn’t work out. You can’t explain why and it really eats at you ravenously – as you take another sip to water down the pain burning horrendously inside your fragile soul – and vow that the next one will be a more productive time for your heart to feel the true nurturing of a special soul.

Rather be single than be in the wrong romance is what they say.

Hear this new single on their Spotify page.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Birds Over Arkansas have released their emotionally-charged slice of Americana ‘Sunflower’.

Posted on 8 November 2021

The melodically unorthodox outfit, Birds Over Arkansas, ended their five-year radio silence with the release of their highly anticipated emotionally charged slice of Americana, Sunflower, which reinforces the ‘good things come to those who wait’ idiom with Adamantium strength.

With the sweet choral vocals harmonising against the practically effervescent acoustic melodies as they weave through intricate rhythms, Sunflower is practically a gateway to another dimension. You’d be hard-pressed to find more escapism in a soundscape from any other up and coming outfit. It carries the sweetly sonorous appeal of Elliott Smith paired with a matchless cinematic roots-deep folk twang. We can only hope that Birds Over Arkansas has more aural salvation in the pipeline.

Sunflower is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Love prevails in Phil Dutra’s retro pop single, It’s Not Enough

Posted on 6 November 2021
It's Not Enough (Falling For Your Love) by Phil Dutra

Break free of your ennui with the old school romanticism in Phil Dutra’s latest retro country-pop single, It’s Not Enough (Falling for Your Love). The Austin Texas artist’s sway-worthy guitar-driven melodies provide a sure-fire nostalgia hit as they croon through the crescendos as Dutra goes all-in with his robustly romantic vocals.

If you cranked up the intensity in Elvis Presley’s Can’t Help Falling in Love by 1000%, it still wouldn’t come close to the stridently visceral release that is the aural equivalent to holding a boombox up underneath an ex paramour’s bedroom window. Romance will never be dead, for as long as there are songwriters in the same gorgeous vein as Dutra.

It’s Not Enough is available to stream and purchase via Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Don’t Let Those Moments Pass: Excellent Indiana-born Alt-Rock artist Jordan Brooker urges us to think deeper on ‘Lowlights’

Posted on 23 October 2021

With a true insight into an often fake world that seems so shallow sometimes, Jordan Brooker sings with much gusto about reaching for those stars above to avoid getting sucked into those party highs and ‘Lowlights‘ that can greedily grab hold of your valuable soul forever.

Jordan Brooker is a Spencerville, Indiana-born, Nashville, Tennessee-based indie Alt-Rock solo artist who was formally known more for his music and songwriting in the Country music scene.

”Inspired by artists such as Jimmy Eat World, Soundgarden, Third Eye Blind, and Augustana, his new sound harnesses a certain authenticity true to Jordan Brooker himself and his early beginnings.” ~ Jordan Brooker

‘Lowlights‘ from the highly talented Nashville-based indie Alt-Rock solo artist Jordan Brooker, is a brilliant track from an artist who has impressively reinvented himself. He sings about a story which is so true – in a world that has has been designed to distract you – as we try and avoid the noise and only do things that are actually meaningful.

Sung with a positive-message feel and filled with his refreshing vocals which has the hairs on your body standing up to attention, this is a worthwhile message to remember about knowing your value and not getting thrown into the vacuum of life.

Hear this wonderful track on Spotify and follow his life on IG music page.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen