Browsing Tag

Power Ballad

Charlotte Forman is a voice of resilience and reason in her piano-driven power ballad, Don’t Change Me

Posted on 21 November 2024

In ‘Don’t Change Me,’ which is featured on Charlotte Forman’s EP of the same name, the artist pours her heart into a piano-driven ballad that magnifies her arcane control over pitch and register within a refined and emotionally charged production.

With a voice that rivals the raw, affecting power of Amy Winehouse and Adele, Charlotte Forman opens not just industry doors but windows into her soul. The lyrical narrative offers a profound exhibition of the expectations placed on female artists in an industry often swayed more by aesthetics than by talent. This piece is an unflinching declaration of self, a protest against the misogynistic undertones that often undermine genuine artistry. Forman’s lyrics roar with the strength and fortitude of a woman unyielded.

As the single progresses, it boldly veers into an Avant-Garde territory with a cabaret-like flair, as dissonant piano keys build into an artful climax before settling back into Forman’s swanky vocal reprise. This audacious turn mirrors the thematic resistance of the song, asserting Forman’s artistic identity in the face of industry conformity.

Stream the Don’t Change Me EP on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Awakening to Bella Gate: ‘Sleepwalking’ Melds Classic and Contemporary with Masterful Artistry

Posted on 15 May 2024

If you’re still sleeping on the breakthrough UK singer-songwriter, Bella Gate, her revolutionary approach to power balladry exhibited in her latest single, Sleepwalking, will prise your heart and soul open to her immensely affecting artistry.

The classic songwriting style is enough to slip you back into the 70s before the Florence and the Machine artful touches pull you right back to modernity as Bella Gate’s vocals channel the spirituality of Stevie Nicks and the deep resonant timbre of Adele, with all the emotive authenticity to boot.

While looking back on chapters of teenage love and self-discovery, most will shudder at the naivety; Bella Gate is viscerally living through the torment within Sleepwalking; vicariously join her as the pop-rock piano keys dance beneath her endlessly ascending vocal register as they spill the agony in a retrospective call for clarity.

With plenty more singles in the pipeline for 2024, the 23-year-old Edinburgh/London residing artist is more than worth a spot on your radar. If she’s esteemed enough to have her debut LP mastered at Abbey Road Studios by Geoff Pesche, she, and her talent in bringing a fresh and innovative vibe to the industry, is one to watch.

Sleepwalking was officially released on April 26th; stream the single on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Skinny G Radio lingers on the precipice of chaos in his augmented alt-pop power ballad, As I Look Around

Posted on 24 April 2024

Skinny G Radio’s latest single, As I Look Around, is an audacious expression of alt-pop artistry that captures Geoffrey Lussier at his most uninhibited. As a Connecticut native with a diverse musical pedigree, influenced by the likes of Billy Joel and John Mayer and seasoned through an apprenticeship in Los Angeles, Lussier’s craft as Skinny G Radio fuses insightful songwriting with an eclectic production style reminiscent of Mark Ronson and Jon Bellion.

As I Look Around is a rock-licked, electronica-augmented piano pop power ballad that dances on the edge of chaos and control. This track encapsulates the turbulence of its themes—insanity and the loss of control—in a way that resonates deeply in our unpredictable era. Yet, it’s the song’s masterful balance of explosive energy and restraint that defines its character. With dynamic shifts that travel from the guitar-driven grit of 70s rock through the polyphonic glow of 80s pop, to the ornate orchestral layers, the song creates a rich, ever-evolving soundscape.

This single not only highlights Lussier’s ability to channel broad musical influences into a seamlessly alchemic sound but also his skill in creating a palpable connection through layered, complex compositions. As I Look Around is a compelling herald for his upcoming album, promising more explorative leaps into the potent emotions and reflections of contemporary life. It’s an invitation to experience the maddening times with a sense of infectious zeal and an anthem for those drawn to the artful edge of alt-pop innovation.

As I Look Around was officially released on April 16th; stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Stephen Waterhouse brought Broadway to the Airwaves with ‘Feeling Inside’

Posted on 15 April 2024

With hints of Bo Burnham’s INSIDE LP and serendipitously infectious lyricism, the debut intrinsically self-aware single, Feeling Inside, from Stephen Waterhouse is a testament to his cultivated songwriting stripes.

The balance of Lo-Fi bedroom pop intimacy and ornate orchestral elements allows the piano-driven single to unravel as an intensely distinctive musical theatre-adjacent triumph. Vulnerable enough to read as a diary entry, and striking enough to bring a touch of Broadway flair to the airwaves, the single is a revelation that leads to rapture when the orchestral crescendos swell in the soundscape and spill over into your soul.

Stephen Waterhouse’s vocals open a mesmerising juxtaposition within the production; rather than attempting to assimilate, he runs through with his earnestly sincere quasi-spoken word delivery which harmonises as the release builds in momentum.

The Royal Northern College of Music graduate, accomplished pianist and accompanist, and musical director may bring a classic touch to his work, but it doesn’t diminish the commercial cross-over appeal in Feeling Inside, which was released ahead of his 2024 EP which is being primed for a Spring/Summer release.

Feeling Inside was officially released on March 11th; stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Anthony Mascia spun an exhilarating redemption narrative in his alt-pop-rock hit, Daybreak

Posted on 19 December 2022

NY-born and raised, New Hampshire-based singer-songwriter Anthony Mascia’s lyrics cut candidly deep in his latest single, Daybreak. Drawing on deeply personal life experiences that would make an imbittered cynic out of most, you’ll be rooting for him and all his vibrant resilience in his alt-pop-rock instant classic by the time the first verse runs through.

“Anything to numb the sadness, hallucination or false acceptance” may be the most resonantly raw lyric I’ve ever heard – no hyperbole. After relaying all the roads that led Mascia to recording to this triumphantly super-charged power ballad, the light shimmers into the production, reminding you that no situation is beyond salvation.

The level of investment you will feel compelled to make is a testament to Mascia, who is easily one of the most talented songwriters we’ve heard in the past few years. His vocals may be the cherry on the cake, but the layers created beneath the sticky-sweet instrumental icing through his ability to construct a redemptive narrative will leave you craving more and more.

With his third album, Ambassador, Vol. 2, which traverses themes of love, loss and queerness, set for release in 2023, save space on your radar.

Daybreak is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Marc Ambrosia gets visceral in his lo-fi indie rock ballad, When I’m Feeling Love

Posted on 13 May 2022

Indie-rock singer-songwriter Marc Ambrosia is set to release his Chris Isaak-Esque lo-fi single, When I’m Feeling Love, which progressively makes its way to a scornfully soulful 80s power ballad.

After the gentle and choral prelude and opening verse, the reverb starts to slip away as Ambrosia’s ethereal vocals pick up intensity and urgency to mimic the lifelines of new passions sparked; after a toe is dipped in the water, it isn’t long before you’re completely consumed. And that’s exactly the power Ambrosia has over you in When I’m Feeling Love. Ironically, we are infatuated.

When I’m Feeling Love is to be released on May 13th. You can check it out for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Craymo offers the aural antidote to seasonal depression with ‘December Rain’

Posted on 19 November 2020

As we approach one of the most daunting Decembers in living memory, music which reflects our melancholy and offers understanding is more valuable than ever, making up and coming Indie artist Craymo’s Indie ballad ‘December Rain (Carol of Love)’ utterly priceless.

December Rain is just one of the tracks to feature on their dynamic 5-track EP ‘Love Power’ which explores the multifaceted nature of Love. In this release, Craymo illustrates the terrifying vulnerability which interlaces with the prospect of love which can easily override our need for affectionate warmth.

The piano-led arrangement which any Elton John fans will adore may be tender, but that tenderness doesn’t hinder the sonorous blows which the sentiment poetically delivers.

Listen to December Rain via Spotify.

 

Review by Amelia Vandergast