Album Reviews

This section includes a running list of the music reviews we publish. We also publish a lot of interviews, curate playlists, and podcast. Want to submit your music?

Meghan & Caitlin Need No Apology, Celebrate Liberation with New Single “Mean”

by Joshua (J.Smo) Smotherman March 7, 2019 8:49 am Tagged With: Chicago, electro-pop, Illinois, indie pop, Pop, singer, songwriter, United States

Chicago based pop duo Meghan & Caitlin have arrived with a strong, intense single titled Mean, now available anywhere you listen to music. With powerful vocals guaranteed to make an impact, this sister duo delivers a powerfully emotive song which celebrates the liberation that comes along with being yourself and standing up for who you […]

What You Need To Know About Attending Audio Engineering School

by Joshua (J.Smo) Smotherman March 7, 2019 8:28 am Tagged With: producer

If it weren’t for the countless thousands of audio engineers who work behind the scenes of television shows, movie sets, and music studios, modern entertainment simply wouldn’t be as valuable as it currently is. Check out the following reasons as to why audio engineering schools are better at pumping out quality sound capturers and producers […]

Tough On Fridays Prepare to Unleash Rockin’ New Single, Retrospect Coming Soon

by Joshua (J.Smo) Smotherman February 28, 2019 12:01 pm Tagged With: alternative rock, indie rock, Rock, rock n roll, Texas, United States

Friends since an early age, Katie and Caleigh (Tough On Fridays) have been connected by music the entire time. When they made their musical debut in 2017, they quickly gained a reputation and soon found themselves working with industry professionals such as Beau Burchell (888/Moose Blood), Tim Palmer (Pearl Jam/U2), Sam Pura (Story So Far/Basement) […]

Blue Midnight Creates Cinematic Rock Soundscapes, Eternal Wish Now Available

by Joshua (J.Smo) Smotherman February 20, 2019 10:47 am Tagged With: California, hard rock, Los Angeles, Metal, progressive rock, United States

Los Angeles based dream metal outfit Blue Midnight delivers epic walls of sound which are equal parts cinematic and progressive while elegantly managing to melt our faces off with sweetly satisfying yet appropriately chunky guitar tones. It’s an added bonus that their intense walls of sound overwhelm the sensory system…in all the best ways. In […]

Rhett Repko Returns With Jammin’ New EP, Listen to Songs Of The Night Now

by Joshua (J.Smo) Smotherman February 20, 2019 10:27 am Tagged With: acoustic rock, indie pop, indie rock, pop rock, singer, songwriter

Rhett Repko has graced these pages multiple times in the past so it’s only natural for his band’s latest EP, Songs of the Night, to receive some spotlight. Be sure to check out the previous features here, here and here (opens in new tab). Songs of the Night includes five tracks of excellent song crafting […]

Interview with The Mayan Factor, Jam Their Powerful New Single, Hope, Now!

by Joshua (J.Smo) Smotherman February 19, 2019 12:30 pm Tagged With: alternative rock, indie rock, Maryland, progressive rock, Rock, United States

Until a week or so ago, I had no idea who The Mayan Factor was or the fact they had been making music since 2003, at least. But there’s a lot more to this than another band finding it’s way into my inbox. I learned about The Mayan Factor from a long time fan. Hold […]

Fathom XIX Delivers Rock Music Exactly How I LOVE It! The Sky Beneath Now Available

by Joshua (J.Smo) Smotherman February 19, 2019 11:12 am Tagged With: alternative rock, Funk, hard rock, indie rock, Michigan, progressive rock, Rock, United States

It doesn’t happen very often but every once in a while an album comes through my inbox which gives me everything I truly love in a great rock record. Fathom XIX are the next band to achieve this status with their new album The Sky Beneath. Their funky, progressive, punk-infused, hard rockin’ soundscapes are The […]

Jesse Daniel Releases Energetic, Foot-Stompin’ New Single, California Highway Now Available

by Joshua (J.Smo) Smotherman February 15, 2019 9:00 am Tagged With: California, Country, country rock, songwriter, United States

Fire up the truck, roll down the windows, turn up the radio as loud as you can, and get ready for a foot stompin’, pedal to the metal, acoustic-driven, country rock rodeo as we find our peace of mind on a California Highway. California Highway is the title of Jesse Daniel’s new single (with video […]

Interview with Royal Ruckus, Hip Hop Heads Get Your Fix with THIS Royalty Check

by Joshua (J.Smo) Smotherman February 13, 2019 10:50 am Tagged With: California, Florida, Hip Hop, rap, United States

Microphone veterans Royal Ruckus have returned with a new EP which is packed full of Golden Era-inspired, Boom Bap-esque, neck breaking Hip Hop. Royalty Check is the follow up to the group’s previous, and much loved project, World’s Okayest Rapper. Always excited by new music from these Bakersfield, California natives, I’ve been bumping Royalty Check […]

Fred Argir Unleashes New Album, Listen To Still Alive

by Joshua (J.Smo) Smotherman February 6, 2019 10:38 am Tagged With: indie rock, Rock, singer, songwriter

I recently featured I Don’t Feel It from Fred Argir’s new album Still Alive. Today we are going to focus on the entire album; now available on your favorite streaming platform. (The previous feature can be found here.) Continuing in the vein of the I Don’t Feel It single, Still Alive packs a punch with […]