Jaime - The Girl Next Door
This sassy lady from northern Michigan spins a fresh perspective into the rap seen. Vocally she is somewhat reminiscent of Blondie in "Rapture" but with a flava all her own that is sultry with a slight pop feel. Lyrically she tilts more towards life experiences and feelings rather than traditional rap subjects, although her words do convey a world wise street toughness. Backed by tasty rhythms and sampling, this new voice could become one of the hottest. URL: http://www.jaimesdoor.com E-mail: jaime@jaimesdoor.com
Townhall - American Dreams
"Night Patrol" kicks off the debut from this Philly fivesome with a Royal Crescent Mob meets Less Than Jake in a hollow down "Copperhead Road" vibe. This sets the tone for the intense stew of funk, rock, jazz, ska and even bits of heartfelt country and Beatle-esque psychedelia, as in "Communicate." These are great players and songwriters that weave their plethora of styles and eccentricities into something with an inventive groove creating an eclectic buzz. URL: http://www.townhallmusic.com E-mail: cb@townhallmusic.com
Maria Graft - Running Home
Doolittle Music - MG6354
Christian musicians can sometime get a bit generic with their lyrics, no matter how noble their cause. Not so with this suburban Chicago lady, as her thought provoking words catch your attention. Obviously emanating from her soul and heart but also from a prodigious gift of songwriting talent, Maria brings her passionate messages to the common folks level. Her luscious and reverent voice and well-crafted pop and light rock backdrops further enhance this wonderful CD. URL: http://www.mariagraft.com
Dann Russo - 4 song EP
Boston singer/songwriter Dann Russo shows great promise with this first taste. His excellent voice has an inflection ala Adam Duritz, but a rough soulful edge from the Mick Jagger school. Backing himself with some tasty but organic acoustic guitar strumming, Dann's lyrics are both intelligent and honest, making you feel rather than just hear his emotions. One of the better new solo folks I have heard in a while. URL: none E-mail: dannrussomusic@aol.com
Dina D'Alessandro - Sweetness & Decency
Worker Ants Music
Like an edgier Sarah McLachlan or a more toned down Evanescence, this L.A. singer/songwriter has a voice with a lovely timbre and subtle power. The musical vehicle ranges from acoustic driven folk to explosive guitar powered alt rock, often within the frame of a single song as in the title track. Hard driving rockers such as "Disappear" drive straight into your soul, while mellow ballads like "Early Morning" are still intense due to the emotive fervor. URL: http://www.dinamusic.com
The Drexlers - Self titled
Atlanta songwriting tandem Annie and David Drexler fuse the same passion found in their live shows into this debut studio effort. Annie handles most of the vocals with her sweetly evocative voice, augmented by David's harmonizing prowess. Toying with various edges of folk and light rock, the music conveys the words to wonderful effect, creating songs that you can wrap around you like a comfortable quilt and savor like a robust cognac. URL: http://www.thedrexlers.net E-mail: maria@thebizomusic.com
Sons Of March - 4 song EP
Gritty rock and roll with blues and heartland flavorings and killer harmonic vocals ala Jason Ringenberg are the norm from this Montgomery, Alabama act. "Bulletproof Heart" kick starts the disc with a Circle of Power type guitar driven bite, followed by the anthemic Southern rocker "San Jose." "I Learned It From You" has a gutsy country vibe, while "Sentimental Moonlight" is a smoky ballad. They show several distinct personalities, but also a healthy amount of talent. URL: http://www.sunsmarch.com E-mail: michael@michaelwright.com
Of Infinity - The Essence of Infinity
This three song sample will whet your appetite for a larger feast of this female voiced prog metal trio from San Antonio. Trip hammer drumming, incendiary guitars and thunderstorm bass riffs are twisted with mellower piano graced melodic passages. The intrigue factor runs higher from the intense vocals of Alessandra Zinacola, who is reminiscent of Ann Wilson and Lana Lane. There is obvious songwriting talent here as well, progsters should gobble this group up. URL: http://www.ofinfinity.com E-mail: OfInfinityEmail@aol.com
D.C. & Co. - Ain't That Somethin'
Dave Costarella creates a heady brew of funk, jazz, rock and blues with this blistering bad ass disc. The full throttle horn fueled boogie of "What a But-But" is like the Bus Boys on Tower of Power. "I Don't Mind" is back alley funky blues at it's finest. "La Samba De Costarella" takes a wild instrumental journey south of the border while "Party On the 4th of July" brings it back home in a way Sammy Davis Jr would be proud of. A veritable blast with great musicianship as well. URL: http://www.dcanco.com E-mail: dc-co@comcast.net
TM© January 2005
Anthony Z'sler - Count the Stars