Browsing Tag

Johnny Cash

Folk troubadour Adam Foster purged the poison of deception with ‘Charming Lies’

Posted on 2 November 2024

In his latest single ‘Charming Lies’, Adam Foster captured the quintessence of folk within a powerful narrative that treads the line between Johnny Cash’s vignette-casting storytelling and Bob Dylan’s lyrical genius.

The candid Americana allegory critiques the deceit of snakes in suits, driven by insatiable greed and a penchant for indoctrinating the working classes into inequality. Foster’s voice weaves this narrative into a sepia-toned melody that feels like it has been directly lifted from an old-school tape deck, drenched in warm, nostalgic delay.

Having been a fixture in the music scene since his teens, Adam Foster has been perfecting his craft in various venues across the United States. Throughout the years, he’s flitted between rock, blues, folk, and country influences, drawing inspiration from legends like the Rolling Stones and the Doors, ensuring his sonic signature is far from counterfeited.

His discography spans from his solo acoustic debut in 2004 to his upcoming LP, Neon Nashville Nights, which promises a mix of originals and covers recorded with the live energy of a Nashville and polished with studio fidelity.

Charming Lies sets the tone for what’s to come and marks a moment of maturity in Foster’s career. This single positions him as a true folk troubadour whose stories resonate with authenticity and introspection. If this track is any indication, someone will need to make room for him in the Nashville Hall of Fame.

The official music video for Charming Lies will premiere on November 1st; stream it on YouTube and follow Adam Foster to keep up to date with news of his new LP, Neon Nashville Nights, via Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Isiah & The New People led a rhythmic indie-folk-rock revolution with their debut EP, Boxes

Posted on 8 July 2024

Rooted in roots rock tradition and daring in execution, the debut EP from Isiah & The New People proves that no sonic flavour can rival pure, raw creativity. With an unadulterated emotion as the kindling which ignites through the friction of rhythmic volition, the fourpiece tore down the barricades of the soul, one visceral lick at a time with their four-track EP, Boxes.

The Little Chute, Wisconsin collective of veteran artists amalgamated a genre-fluid compendium of songs that dig deep into the trenches of the human psyche while awakening the senses of anyone who stumbles on this encapsulation of sonic liberation, which was released on the symbolic day of July 4.

The opening track, 1000 Tears, smokes out rich organic indie folk-rock textures with the sax lines while bridging the poetic expressiveness of Bob Dylan and the visceral intensity of Eddie Vedder. Isiah Driessen’s vocal versatility resounds as he navigates effortlessly between the deep, soulful timbres of Johnny Cash and the piercing clarity of James Taylor’s emotive howls.

Cherry Tree, shifts gears towards a more intimate setting, weaving Paolo Nutini-esque vulnerability into the fabric of its melody with tender acoustic guitar plucks and heartfelt vocals.  The third offering, The Girl Downstairs, introduces a grittier, blues-infused sound that showcases the band’s ability to morph stylistically. The overdriven guitars and raw energy inject a robust dynamism into the EP, demonstrating their chameleonic adaptability and broad musical palette.

The EP concludes with Where’s Lake Waldo? a track that ventures into psychedelic territory with ennui-pained lyrics and expansively kaleidoscopic sonics. The tinged-with-existential-pondering is a fitting end to the EP’s narrative—questioning, exploring, and seeking.

With Boxes, Isiah & The New People articulated a philosophy of musical and personal exploration. It is the ultimate statement of artistic liberation which lays down a promising trajectory for the band which is sure to resonate with any music fans searching for an aural mode of genuine connectivity.

Isiah & The New People said:

“We put things in boxes; whether it’s people, ideas, or ourselves. However, every day we have the chance to be reborn, let things go, and take on new perspectives. I felt myself being put into a box. My pursuits in music have been about breaking out of it.”

Stream Boxes on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Find the optimism in existentialism with Bill E Daly’s latest single, ‘All We Have’.

Posted on 11 March 2021

‘All We Have’ is the fourth single to be released by Irish singer-songwriter Bill E Daly, an artist in the habit of shifting perspectives with the lyricism cased in their constantly in-flux sound. The only constant is the assurance that you’ll be drawn in by introspection that dares you to embrace the dark while seeing the light.

By channelling the Doors and Cash into All We Have, it boasts the perfect contrast between tonal accordance and swampy lyrics. The dark folk imagery takes your psyche to a macabre school while Southern bluesy soul reaches out with a touch of compassion.

With their next single ready for official release on April 22nd, it will be more than worth making room on your radar for the singer-songwriter – especially given their tendency to pull optimism out of existentialism.

All We Have is now available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Hampshire based Folk-Roots artist Megan Linford shines bright with truthful ‘’Lessons’’

Posted on 31 May 2020

Put in time and you will get the results. With a soothing piano to start the song, you know this is going to be good. Giving thanks to her parents, speaking about lessons learnt- no matter how hard the occasional trips and falls. 

‘Megan Linford’, is making her way on the UK Folk/Indie scene with her sun-kissed melodies and honest lyrics, that shows her humble and grateful attitude to life. She is an Indie artist, doing it herself with the love and support of friends and family. She hosts her own music night in Portsmouth and seems to be learning all the sides of the music industry, a very smart move indeed. 

After already pushing out 2 self- released EP’s and 3 singles, Megan is working hard on her first album set for release in 2020. I personally can’t wait to hear the new music and hopefully lockdown hasn’t slowed anything down for her.

From the little I know about Megan, I can tell that this is an extremely industrious and hard working woman who won’t let anything stop her. Her voice is absolutely breathtaking and I can’t wait to see her live at a gig soon. The local music scene needs people like Megan, someone with a positive message and self-awareness, in these troubled times.

‘’Lessons’’ and more stunning vocals from Megan are here on Spotify.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Joe Astley’s latest release Anthem For The North – a feeling of belonging

Posted on 13 May 2020

“I will fight for you. I will fight for the North,” were the words of Daenerys Targaryen to John Snow (remember the scene?), and it’s apparently what Joe Astley is trying to achieve in his latest release Anthem For The North.

From Wigan, Greater Manchester, Joe Astley is a professional musician, singer-songwriter multi-instrumentalist and radio presenter, who demonstrates great pride in being a northerner in this cheerful tune rooted in folk music. Starting with a lively piano melody, a crunch guitar fills the sound to the likes of Oasis but with a more contemporary style that gifts folk music with a pleasing pop undertone.

His lyrics describe the charm of the North and its people – their power, their charisma, their strength – and how amazing it can feel to belong.

Thanks for this Anthem, Joe Astley! Just like the Starks used to say, I’m sure that the North will remember.

Give Anthem For The North a go on Youtube.

Review by Jim Esposito.

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

Lauren Jaimes releases Country single Home Is Where You Are

Posted on 14 April 2020

Artist Lauren Jaimes has released her single ‘Home Is Where You Are’, a lively piece of Country style music, it’s energetic, it’s uplifting and it’s one you must check out.

As soon as it gets going, you’re greeted by the sound of the trumpet illuminating the background with a peaceful melody, the smooth riffs on the acoustic guitar, whilst combining that with a loud tap on the drums to give it that real western country essence.

The vocal ranges are pretty incredible, Lauren sure knows how to sing and infuses this unreal amount of energy through the tone of her voice, you get a whole load of personality thrown in with it, giving off this really upbeat happy feeling about it. Towards the end the harmonica makes its appearance as all the instrumentation and smooth vocals combine together to create this Country hit.

You must check out Lauren Jaime’s latest piece, it’s one that must be added to your playlist.

Listen to Lauren Jaimes single Home Is Where You Are by heading on over to SoundCloud now.

Review by Karley Myall

The Thinking Men Release Official Video For Rock Track “I Wanna Be Good”

Posted on 26 October 2017

Rock music has infinite permutations in modern day. Under every genre, there’s a subgenre that hybrids with rock. When folks complain about a lack of rock, they ought to be more specific. Rock is everywhere, but the blues is scarce these days. Other than a few big acts, rock has had to adapt to survive. The Thinking Men seek to remind us of why we like to add rock to our music. They remember where rock came from and they know how to inject the blues into good, energetic bursts of sound creating that feeling we’ve been missing.

Their song I Wanna Be Good lends itself to a fairly simple, formulaic approach. There’s no need for too much going on in the verses as they’re a means to an end, and that end is a rip-snorting time full of aggression and virility. It’s also downright fun. This song has all the raw catchiness of garage rock with the soul and style of blues rock. The Thinking Men have form and function in mind as they bring together all the things you’ve wanted to return in a new package that can keep up with the loudness wars while retaining its rooted dignity. This can be a dangerous game though, reviving old flames. As the lyrics state, if you can’t be good, you’ll wind up dead. Let’s see how long the Thinking Men can stay on that bull and remain good.

-Paul Weyer