I found it hard to write about singer-songwriter Nic Stevens' Willow Run EP. His music isn't bad; in fact I think a lot of people are going to enjoy it. It was hard for me to form an opinion because his sound is so middle of the road and generic I wasn't sure what to say about it. Stevens is a solid singer with a plain, clear voice and a nice falsetto. This five-song EP runs just over twenty minutes and provides a snapshot of the artist, a harmless, heartfelt, soul-searching young dude with some stuff on his mind and a few chords under his belt...MORE
Kito Peters' music springs from 60's rebellion, but it's modern enough for boomers and hipsters alike. His songs are mind-expanded folk rock epics in the vain of Leonard Cohen, Cat Stevens, and Bob Dylan, with all the usual modern folk themes. He sings plaintively about cultural and social change, love, and trampled hearts. Peters is a talented poet, whose vivid descriptions bring the intangible to life. There're stories in his songs, but he usually makes his point with striking imagery and metaphors. All this poetry glides atop...MORE
If playing indie rock means making music you like regardless of how well it's received, then Beware Fashionable Women (or BFW) are surely indie rockers. They do what they like, even if a few musical quirks, like jump jazz guitar chords and extended vocal harmonies, set them apart from their pop-rock peers. So they're a bit unique, which is terrific, but all the inventiveness in the world won't save an album if the songs aren't awesome and the band doesn't rock. Are the songs on Beware Fashionable Women awesome? Do they rock?...MORE
The first thing I noticed about She Was Heartache, the debut recording by rock group Spinn, is the raw acoustic sound. That unprocessed, live sound is used for most of the thirty minute album. It's a refreshing approach and it suits the candid emotions in these nine, heart-on-the-sleeve songs. The solid performances by vocalists Cheryl Lynn Spinner, Stephanie Spinner, and Megan Battaglia also leaped out. Their sweet harmonies were usually in the spotlight and I would have liked to hear...MORE
