Category: singer/songwriters

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

Best known as Goldroom, Josh
Legg is a prolific, Boston, MA-born, Los Angeles, CA-based singer/songwriter, electro pop artist and producer, who has taken the blogosphere by storm with the release of two EPs, 2011’s Angeles, 2013’s Embrace and a series of singles  — all of which have been influenced by Daft Punk, Phoenix, Alan Braxe, LCD Soundsystem and others.

September 23 will mark the release of Legg’s long-awaited full-length effort, West of the West, an album title inspired by Teddy Roosevelt, who popularly referred to California as “West of the West” during his presidency. And as Legg explains in press notes “It’s always resonated with me because it feels like a destination past the Wild West – an oasis where anything is possible. To me, West of the West is also the Pacific Ocean, where so much of my life and inspiration lies.” But more importantly as Legg explains further in press notes, the album and its material is centered around honest songwriting. “I was aching to write something more simple and earnest, devoid of cynicism,” Legg says.

West of the West‘s first single “Silhouette” sounds as though it were inspired by Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories and 80s synth pop and R&B as a sinuous and sensual bass line is paired with atmospheric electronics, shimmering, cascading, arpeggio synth stabs, an anthemic hook and Legg’s plaintive and aching crooning to craft a dance floor and radio-friendly jam that manages to be both breezy and sexy.

Over the fall, Goldroom will be on a co-headlining 30+ date tour North American tour with Autograf that includes a NYC area stop at Terminal 5 in October. Check out the tour dates below.

Goldroom’s and Autograf’s National Tour Dates:
09/30
10/01
10/04
10/05
10/06
10/07
10/08
10/12
10/13
10/14
10/15
10/16
10/19
10/20
10/21
10/22
10/25
10/26
10/27
10/28
10/31
11/02
11/03
11/04
11/05
11/09
11/10
11/11
11/12
 Nashville, TN
Atlanta, GA
Portland, ME
Boston, MA
Philadelphia, PA
New York, NY
Washington, DC
Montreal, QC
Toronto, ON
Columbus, OH
Detroit, MI
Chicago, IL
Madison, WI
Omaha, NE
Denver, CO
Boulder, CO
Kansas City, MO
St. Louis, MO
Oklahoma City, OK
Austin, TX
Albuquerque, NM
San Diego, CA
Los Angeles, CA
San Francisco, CA
Arcata, CA
Eugene, OR
Portland, OR
Vancouver, BC
Seattle, WA		 Basement East
Aisle 5
Port City Music Hall
Royale
The Theatre of Living Arts
Terminal 5
A.I.
Fairmount Theatre
Mod Club
Park Street Saloon
Majestic Theatre
Concord
Liquid
Slowdown
Cervantes
Boulder Theatre
Riot Room
Firebird
OKC Farmers Market
Vulcan
El Rey
Observatory North Park
The Novo
The Fox
Arcata Theatre
HiFi Music Hall
Wonder Ballroom
Imperial
Neptune
Video by William Ruben Helms

New Video: The Gorgeously Cinematic and Symbolic Video for Joseph’s “White Flag”

Now, as you may remember “White Flag” is the first single off the trio’s forthcoming full-length debut I’m Alone, No You’re Not, which is slated for an August 26, 2016 release. And as you’ll hear the song pairs an ambient and gently undulating production consisting of swirling and ambient electronics, handclap-led percussion and folky guitar chords, a rousingly cathartic and anthemic hook and the Closner Sisters’ gorgeous vocals in a song that sonically reminds me of Pearl and the Beard and Lucius, complete with the same earnest urgency. While lyrically, the song possesses a powerfully positive message — that despite what everyone around you may tell you about your dreams and desires that you should never give up if it’s what you desperately feel that it’s what you must be doing.

The recently released music video for the song is a gorgeously cinematic video that features the Closner sisters in what appears to be the Oregon woods, building a bonfire to set a white flag on fire — and as a result the video manages to be both literal and symbolic.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

Perhaps best known as the co-founder of Department of Eagles, multi-instrumentalist Fred Nicolaus’ solo, side project Golden Suits quickly won attention with the release of a self-titled full-length album that thematically focused around a breakup and an obsession with a collection of short stories by John Cheever. And as a result, Nicolaus developed a reputation for crafting contemplative, folk-leaning indie rock; however, with the release of “Is It Wrong” the multi-instrumentalist reveals a subtle change of sonic and songwriting approach as the song manages to sound like a breezy and mischievous version of The National covering the likes of Tom Petty and Paul McCartney.

 

 

 

 

Video by William Ruben Helms

New Video: The Quietly Post Apocalyptic Visuals for Tuskha’s “First Date”

“First Date,” Moore’s first Tuskha single pairs his aching and tender vocals with gently undulating synths, skittering drum programming and twinkling keys in a song that captures both a sense of melancholy and hope, while reminding the listener that not only are both necessary, that both inform each other in rather profound ways –in some way the song feels as though it’s mourning over the end of a relationship while being grateful that it had happened. Sonically speaking, the song manages to effortlessly mesh the intimacy and earnestness of a singer/songwriter confessional, slickly produced electro pop and jazz; and interestingly, it’s also a song that gains slightly different interpretations with increased plays.

As the video’s director Elise Tyler explains in press notes “When I heard ‘First Date,’ I was struck by how sweetly melancholy it was- hopeful but somewhat reserved. I wanted the imagery to possess the same qualities, a balance between simplicity and depth. We filmed at the nearly-abandoned Hickory Hollow Mall in Nashville, which was once a bustling spot like any other mall in America. It is still open, but what remains is a strange coming together of no-name stores and a food court with three Salvadorian restaurants. Dustin Lane did a fantastic job building on quiet moments and allowing the performance to shine through. We shot on 35mm and I couldn’t be happier with the finished product.” And as a result, the video possesses an eerie, post apocalyptic feel.

Video by William Ruben Helms

New Video: Check out Allen Stone Performing a Soulful and Aching Cover of Goyte’s Mega-hit “Somebody That I Used To Know”

With the release of his latest album Radius, Seattle, WA-based soul singer/songwriter Allen Stone has firmly cemented a burgeoning reputation for crafting uncompromising music that defies pop music conventions — and as a result, not only has the Seattle-based singer/songwriter received attention across the blogosphere, he’s recently been invited to play at Stevie Wonder’s British Summer Time show next week, which will most likely add to a growing international profile. And to celebrate a set of European shows and his addition to the Stevie Wonder show, Stone and his backing band released a video performing a slow-burning, Quiet Storm-soul cover of Goyte’s mega-hit “Somebody That I Used to Know” at Bear Creek Studio that actually possesses a deeper sense of the confusion, heartache, guilt, accusations and bitterness within the song than the original in mind; in fact, when Stone sings the line “you didn’t have to stoop so low,” I guarantee that you’ll feel punched the gut.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

If you’ve been frequenting this site over its six year history, you’ve likely made yourself familiar with New York-based singer/songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and long-term JOVM mainstay artist Rene Lopez. And over the years, Lopez has uncompromisingly refused to be pigeonholed into one particular genre. Over the years, Lopez has managed to mesh salsa, boogaloo, old-school hip-hop, meringue and electronica into one cohesive whole on E.L.S.; salsa and 7os Brazilian music on his most deeply personal effort Paint the Moon Gold; and slinkily seductive synth-based R&B and funk, inspired by Prince, The Gap Band, Rick James, Chic and others on Love Has No Mercy and its subsequent releases.

Now, much like The Raveonettes and several others, Lopez has spent the past year on a single of the month series that he’s dubbed the Jam of the Month. The last and latest single of the series “Who Stole Your Heart” is a swaggering 80s freestyle and hip-hop inspired track that pairs Lopez’s silky smooth vocals with big wobbling, tweeter and woofer rocking 808s and layers of cascading synths to craft a dance floor ready party jam that sounds as though it drew from Herbie Hancock “Rockit” and others.

 

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

 

Comprised of four singer/songwriters Adrian Olsen, Alexandra Spalding, James Mason and JL Hodges, along with multi-instrumentalist Charlie Glenn, the Richmond, VA-based quintet Avers first caught national attention with the release of their 2014 debut effort, Empty Light, an effort that had them opening for Foo Fighters and J.  Roddy Walston and The Business, along with an appearance at last year’s SXSW that was praised by a number of major outlets including Esquire and The Daily Beast. Building upon the buzz they’ve received, the Virginia-based quintet’s anticipated sophomore effort Omega/Whatever was written,  recorded and self-produced at their unofficial headquarters Montrose Recording — and the album, which is slated for a July 29, 2016 release through Egghunt Records reportedly focuses on struggling through life in the modern world; in fact, the material covers divorce, how technology influences our lives, changing societal norms, corrupt politicians and more. And interestingly enough, the material also manages to continue the creative process that the band established for the sessions that comprised their debut effort — each songwriter brought in sketches and ideas with the entire group then pitching in to flesh out the idea into a song and quickly recording the material that same day, whenever possible. As you can hear on the album’s 90s alt rock-channeling single “Insects,” the result is a song that feels at times hushed and improvised and rousingly anthemic wall of sound-channeling song that captures a sense of powerlessness over the things you can’t control — while saying “Well, that’s life sometimes. Get on with it.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

Perhaps best known as the keyboardist and guitarist of Twin Cabins, Los Angeles, CA-based multi-instrumentalist Drew Straus’s solo recording project Onsen recently released his full-length debut Earthquake Weather through Cosmic Dreamer Music. Straus’ solo project and debut effort was inspired by a major career change in which he went went from international police to music, a re-examination of sexuality and a relocation to another city — and as a result, the material captures an artist and a life in transition.

Straus’ latest single “My Own Advice” pairs shimmering and angular guitar chords, propulsive drumming and shimmering and ethereally atmospheric synths ad Straus’ plaintive falsetto in a song that Straus explains to the folks at Culture Collide is about “the end of first love. Written to myself from the perspective of the one I lost.” And as a result, the song possess a wistful “if I had known now what I had known then” vibe while the narrator also recognizes that the experience, despite the heartache, taught him something profound that he’ll take it on to his next relationship.

 

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Video: The Wistful and Gorgeous Visuals for Charlotte Cardin’s “Faufile”

Cardin’s latest single “Faufile,” which translates into English as “to slip or sneak away” features Cardin’s gorgeous and aching vocals paired with the singer/songwriter accompanied by a sparse yet eerie piano accompaniment, and the single will further cement the French Canadian singer/songwriter’s growing reputation for crafting hauntingly eerie pop that owes a debt to jazz. And hot on the heels of the release of “Faufile,” comes the wistful music video, which features a brooding and seemingly heartbroken on the rooftops and streets of what appears to be Montreal after a devastating breakup.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

Certainly, if you’ve been frequenting this site over the past couple of months you may know that with the release of his debut single “Color Decay,” Westman Islands, Iceland-based singer/songwriter Júniús Meyvant quickly received attention across Iceland, Scandinavia and elsewhere for an old-school soul, funk, pop-inspired sound; in fact, the single was a breakout single that hit number 1 on the Icelandic charts, and as a result of the single’s success, Meyvant wound up dominating that year’s Icelandic Music Awards with nominations for Best Newcomer and Best Male Singer, which he also wound up winning — all of which naturally led to greater attention both across Scandinavia and the European Union, including airplay on Radio X, BBC Radio London, Amazing Radio and the song being chosen by KEXP’s Program Director Kevin Cole as his Song of The Year.

Last month, I wrote about “Neon Experience,”the first single off the Icelandic singer/songwriter’s highly-anticipated full-length debut Floating Harmonies, a single that I think further cements the Icelandic singer/songwriter’s reputation for a sound that possesses elements of old-school soul, pop and funk in mid-tempo arrangement comprised of warm and soulful horn line, a gorgeous and dramatic string arrangement, twinkling keys, a sinuous bass line paired with an infectiously anthemic hook and a slow-burning sultry bridge. All of which are perfect for the silky falsetto. Also you have to add an uplifting and resilient message that could push even the most jaded and cynical through the doldrums in a song that sonically reminded me of the Daptone Records roster — while subtly nodding at the work of Simply Red and Chet Faker.

Floating Harmonies‘ second and latest single “Mighty Backbone” pairs a similar arrangement of horns, strings, guitar and bass with complex polyrhythm. And although the breezy song sounds as though it could have been written and recorded in 1963 as it possesses a careful and deliberate attention to craft — but with a subtly modern production sheen. Ironically, despite the fact that song feels remarkably upbeat, lyrically the song is actually quite bittersweet as the song’s narrator seems to be seeking something that he  may not be able to ever truly achieve.

 

 

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

 

Up-and-coming Quebec-born vocalist Charlotte Cardin initially received attention as a model, who once worked for renowned Elite Model Management before deciding to commit to music full-time when she signed with Montreal indie label Cult Nation. Now, if you’ve been frequenting this site over the past year, you may recall that I wrote about “Big Boy,” the first single off Cardin’s recently released debut EP, Big Boy. Interestingly, that single revealed that Cardin specialized in meshing contemporary electronic production with jazz, pop and soul vocal stylings reminiscent of Amy Winehouse and Melanie De BIasio; in fact, that single also revealed that Cardin’s effortlessly soulful vocals possesses a profound ache.

The EP’s latest single “Faufile,” which translates into English as “to slip or sneak away” features Cardin’s gorgeous and aching vocals paired with the singer/songwriter accompanied by a sparse yet eerie piano accompaniment, and the single will further cement the French Canadian singer/songwriter’s growing reputation for crafting hauntingly eerie pop that owes a debt to jazz.

 

 

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

Atlanta, GA-born and New York-based indie soul/indie pop artist John Chandler much like a lot of pop artists grew up signing in church — and by the time he had turned 17 he had signed his first record deal; in fact, his first band 6Piece’s first single was released through a major national promotion through McDonald’s and as a result he and his band made appearances on MTV, BET and Nickelodeon, and he’s opened for or shared stages with the likes of NSYNC, Alicia Keys, Jagged Edge, Trisha Yearwood and others. As a solo artist, Chandler has developed a reputation for accompanying himself on piano; however, his latest single “Beat Of Our Love” off his forthcoming EP 24HRS is indebted to Prince and Bruno Mars as Chandler’s sensual vocals are paired with incredibly anthemic hooks and a slick electronic production consisting of a sinuous bass line, layers of stuttering and choppy synths and drum programming, brief bursts of strummed electric guitar in a song that possesses an urgent and visceral sense of desire while being a summertime club-friendly and radio-friendly banger that you want to hear while you’re with that special someone.

 

singer/songwriters by William Ruben Helms

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Over the course of the soon-to-be six year history of JOVM, New York-based singer/songwriter Anna Rose has developed a growing national profile with the release of a self-titled EP and two full-length efforts Nomad and Behold A Pale Horse — and of course, over that time, the New York-based singer/songwriter has also been a JOVM mainstay artist since its inception.

Officially seeing its release today, Strays in the Cut is the long-awaited follow-up to the New York-based singer/songwriter’s exceptional Pale Horse and as Anna Rose has explained in press notes, the songwriting and recording process forced her and her collaborators to look at everything differently, with a careful and deliberate attention to telling a particular story and evoking a particular period within the artist’s life with a conciseness that wouldn’t necessarily happen on a full-length album. Interestingly, because of that very conciseness the material manages to possess a laser focus — not only do the New York-based singer/songwriter and her backing band play and sing with a greater sense of self-assuredness, the material possesses a visceral and emotional weight to it, as lyrically the songs come from a much more personal, truer place.

I recently spent a few minutes chatting with Anna Rose about the new EP, her and her collaborators songwriting and recording process and how it changed for the EP, her upcoming acoustic tour with guitarist Adam Stoler, her father’s influence on her and her music, the video concept for the EP’s first single “Start A War” and much more in a revealing and very funny interview. Check it out.

 

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

Congolese-born, Minneapolis, MN-based guitarist, singer/songwriter and composer Siama Matuzungidi has had a lengthy, decades long prolific career that began in earnest when he left his home in rural Democratic Republic of the Congo, then Zaire with a guitar strapped to his back. He then travelled to Kinshasa and Uganda before eventually landing in Nairobi, Kenya. And during those travels a young Matuzungidi was a studio musician, songwriter and or cowriter with some of soukous’ biggest and brightest names including Kanda Bongo Man, Sam Mangwana, Moni Mambo with Shika Shika, Lovy Longomba, Tshala Muana and Samba Mapangala with Virunga; in fact, Matuzungidi has played on more than 100 singles, including some of soukous’ most beloved radio hits while developing a reputation for material based around tales of love, desire and betrayal paired with catchy hooks and a wry and ironic sense of humor — although on many of those songs he wasn’t officially credited.

 

As a result of his prolific songwriting and incredible guitar work, Matuzungidi became considered one of soukous’ legends — and in a highly competitive genre in which writing catchy song just wasn’t enough to stay relevant. During the genre’s golden age during the 70s and 8os, it took more than writing a catchy song to keep listeners ears and fans buying albums, and the genre’s songwriters and musicians began writing songs with a deeper complexity and nuance, so you’d hear intricate hooks, complex scales an more. And interestingly enough, that period of experimentation may arguably have prepared and influenced the Congolese soukous legend’s future interest in experimenting with his sound.

Now as the story goes, after spending time performing in Japan and Dubai, Matuzungidi relocated to Minneapolis, the soukous legend quickly realized that he was in for a rather big professional and personal change — “for the first time there wasn’t anyone to play soukous with. I was worried I might have to stop playing but another voice told me to try new things,” Matuzungidi explains in press notes. So the Congolese singer/songwriter and guitarist decided to invite a number of local and locally-based emigre musicians to collaborate with him including Carnatic Indian singer and veena virtuoso Nirmala Rajasekar, renowned gospel singer JD Steele, master Tibetan multi-instrumentalist Tenzen Ngawang, classical cellist Jacqueline Ultan and Joe Savage on pedal steel. As Matuzungidi continues “I invited musicians to share what they feel when they hear my music. I didn’t tell them what to play. I just encouraged them to express themselves in their own way. The music still sounds like home but they’ve added so many cool ideas to it.”

And as a result Matuzungidi’s recently released full-length Rivers is a bit of a modern and highly global take on traditional Congolese music. I have the unique privilege of premiering Rivers‘ opening single, the upbeat 6/8 “Jungle Zombie” which pairs a twisting and looping guitar line with bright blasts of horn, playful polyrhythm and a jazz-leaning bridge in a loose composition that allows room for each of the musicians a few brilliant moments to show off in a brilliant solos, along with call and response vocals. Reportedly, the song is loosely inspired by and is meant to channel the imagery of Matuzungidi and his family walking through the bush to get to their farm, where they grew their own food. Interestingly, as the press notes mention the song’s lyrics translated from Lingala simply say “Bring me water. Bring me food . . ” But the main thing is that the song is so joyous, so fun that you can’t help but want to dance along.

 

 

 

 

 

 

singer/songwriters by William Ruben Helms

New Video: The Sensual Sounds and Visuals of The Elle’s Latest Single “Halo”

“Halo” The Elle’s latest single pairs beatsinmybackpack’s soulful production consisting of shimmering and twinkling keys, boom bap drum programming with The Elle’s cooly self-assured and sultry vocals portraying a narrator, who’s urgently, stupidly, foolishly and proudly in love — of the sort, in which you see your object of desire and love as being the most perfect creature on earth. Sonically speaking, the song manages to channel golden era hip-hop, classic hip-hop soul and neo soul and J. Dilla simultaneously but with a gentle cosmic sheen — and while being incredibly sensual.