Steph Barrak began learning piano and clarinet in middle school but, considering she found herself improvising her own melodies instead of reading the sheet music, she gave up formal lessons at age 13. She then picked up her sister’s guitar and began writing songs on 1 string. She eventually got the courage to try a […]
It’s A Viral Darling by Alberta
If you remember our interview with Dave Shanaberger of Alberta, you will remember our discussion about listeners characterizing his sound as Yankee Indie…but neither of us know what the hell that means. After listening to It’s A Viral Darling, I know I can give you a description you will understand. Let’s try Ameri-folk-rock. Dave’s composition […]
Matthew Heller Arrives With Face Melting Rock n’ Roll Soul
Portland, Oregon’s Matthew Heller is here with his self-titled release. Heller’s music is aptly described as post-grunge folk. Others have compared him to Billy Corgan and the Smashing Pumpkins. I don’t really see it but I did ask him about it in our recent interview. Here’s my opinion. Matthew’s music is what happens when your […]
Interview with Dave Shanaberger of Alberta
We recently had the opportunity to listen to the writing and compositions of Dave Shanaberger. Dave records and performs as Alberta. His music has been referred to as Yankee Indie…but neither Dave nor myself know what that means. Let’s start with the basics. Introduce yourself and let us know where are you from? What type […]
Matthew Heller Interview
My attention was recently brought to Matthew Heller, a post-grunge folk-rock singer-songwriter from Portland Oregon. His self-titled release is currently available online and he has a new album in the works. Let’s jump into the interview, but first I want to say that when I first listened to this record I became an immediate fan. […]
Ed Pettersen Curses The River of Time
Ed Pettersen is deep. Delivering an intriguing blend of americana, folk, rock, and blues, Ed layers his music with commentary any lyricist or storyteller will appreciate. Bouncing back and forth between Nashville and Norway, Ed’s songwriting provides a unique perspective as well as a life story we haven’t heard before. I Curse The River of […]
Common Mama Is A New Kind Of Something
You might not have heard of Common Mama ’til this moment, but… Milan, Italy’s Ferdinando Arnò is internationally known as a composer and producer. You have probably heard his music without even knowing it. He has produced and written hits for other artists, composed TV jingles, and scored music for television shows. If you have seen […]
Ross Davis Is Building His Yellow Brick Road
Ross Davis has been busy building his Yellow Brick Road and this 7 song collection does not disappoint. As the image above suggests, this is music you can chillax to, vibe out to, and roll down your windows and ride out to. These 7 originals have a vintage feel but Ross does a great job of adding […]
Black Tar Pineapple by Rob Loncto Is A Worthwhile Experience
Black Tar Pineapple is an experimental folk rock experience that lies somewhere between The Who and Nirvana. Rob Loncto’s newest album blends elements of acoustic, folk, and rock to create an in-your-face wall of sound reminiscent of the bad boy rock acts from the ’60s and ’70s: The Who, Led Zeppelin, you know where I’m […]
George Woods Finds His Heartbeat
George Woods (Boston, MA) has found the pulse with his new album, Heartbeat. Mr. Woods presents us with a unique blend of pop, soul, funk, and folk to create a catchy style of indie folk-funk. If you like comparisons, think James Morrison, Stevie Wonder, Ray Lamontagne, Jason Mraz or even Jack Johnson. George began his solo […]
