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Soul Asylum

G.B Rider rendered resonance into rock reverence with ‘Even Superheroes Cry’

In the raw, soul-stirring single ‘Even Superheroes Cry’, G.B. Rider—Guy Barnes’ musical alter ego—sharpens rock balladry with cuttingly evocative edges.

The standout track from his Child of Yesterday LP wields Elton John-reminiscent piano progressions in a production soaked in 80s nostalgia as the emotional tenor ascends to the raw grit found in Soul Asylum’s vocal desperation, coupled with a fierce nod to the early, unrestrained Manic Street Preachers.

So much more than just a melody that clings to your memory; Child of Yesterday is an anthem that roars for the right to be vulnerable, to be candid in the throes of emotional tumult.

Under the mentorship of the audio pioneer John Oram, Barnes has sculpted a career defined by decades of relentless creativity and emotional authenticity. His music—a synthesis of chorus-driven rock and the intimate narrative styles of legends like George Michael and Neil Diamond—is infused with the augmented energy of Jon Bon Jovi and the lyrical sincerity of Neil Sedaka. Each track G.B Rider crafts is a fortress of feeling and Even Superheroes Cry is far from the exception.

Returning from a hiatus propelled by the tragic loss of his friend and mentee Chris Hardman, Barnes channelled his sorrow into the defiant, hopeful chords of Child of Yesterday. This album is a phoenix’s cry from the ashes of despair, a testament to enduring past pain, a sonic anthology everyone will be able to find a piece of themselves within.

Stream Even Superheroes Cry as part of the Child of Yesterday LP in full via Spotify now.

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.

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

Evandale – The Storm: Southern Sleazy Hard Rock

‘The Storm’ was the first single released from Evandale’s debut album, ‘All or Nothing’; it’s safe to say that the hard rock outfit went with the former option with this southern sleazy stormer.

Since forming in 2017, the Midwest powerhouse has opened for iconic acts such as Bowling for Soup, Soul Asylum, Dirty Honey, Wayland and Spin Doctors and won an Omaha Arts and Entertainment award for Best New Artist in 2019. With their enigmatic energy, technical ability and tendency to pack their tracks with enough visceral intensity that they could make the Richter scale quiver; the accolades are only going to get sweeter from here on out.

I can imagine, and hopefully, one day I will be able to discover that Evandale’s live sound delivers the same pit-opening arrestive adrenaline as Godsmack and Sevendust.

You can check out the official lyric video to the Storm via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Adam James take us all on an americana road-trip to Lucky Dollar City

New York native singer-songwriter Adam James (More Than Skies, Sleep Bellum Sonno, and The Vigilance Committee) hits out with this, the lead track from his debut solo EP ‘Lucky Dollar City’. Produced by Ace Enders of The Early November, ‘Lucky Dollar City’ is a stunning slice of genre-crossing acoustic folk-pop americana in the style of the Jayhawks, Uncle Tupelo, The Replacements, or maybe ‘Hang Time’ era Soul Asylum.

James’ voice is effortlessly world-weary yet hopeful, a Paul Westerberg edge within the acoustic strumming, gentle snare pushes, and gorgeously laid-back string accompaniment,  whilst overall ‘Lucky Dollar City’ could easily have found itself on ‘Don’t Tell A Soul’ or ‘Hollywood Town Hall’. Nothing more needs to be said – it really is that good.

Check out Adam James’ debut EP on Spotify, or follow Adam on Facebook and Instagram.

Review by Alex Holmes