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he new music releases continue to come in thick and fast. I've taken the liberty of reviewing four recent releases from some local bands on offer. They look to be, on initial inspection, totally different and diverse in music style, sound and presentation. A good selection to pick from to showcase the top quality music on offer. Lets delve in.
The Winachi Tribe - Funky but Chic - This track is as its title says, so much so the song sounds like it could be a call back to when funk was at its prominence in the 70s with bands such a Chic, Sly and the Family Stone and the Isley Brothers to name a few. The Winachi Tribe have taken their obvious retro roots in music history, given them a polish, a good dusting, but then gone and smashed them to pieces and have taken all the prime cuts and what made their peers special and have used them in creating something special and modern sounding.
The tracks strengths do not lie in the lyrics (they are just there as a topping to the overall funk-cake), but the composition, sound and performance. Overall, its a jaunty number successfully bringing back the sound from a time when bands created songs for dancing and partying and is bound to get even the most adamant non-dancers on the dance-floor.
Uno Mas - Glass Houses - Uno Mas uses the relatively short time they have allocated to this track well when showcasing their music. From the off the gritty guitar and beat take us into the song where then the northern vocals from Olly bring us into the beef of the stew-pot of what is essentially a great sounding indie rock song. Olly's vocals feign sounding basic, but then bring about a great with the accompaniment of a harmony and song structure, which gives us, the audience something new, unique and fresh.
The song as a whole reminds me of something akin to the lively and fresh sound The View brought to the fold when they were at their peak. The short but noticeable guitar solo is what brings the song to another level before it then strikes home with another dose of that catchy chorus. Overall, a great offering from the band, one which will no doubt go down well at any gig and be a fan favourite leaving them wanting more.
Strangers - Jaded - The evolution of Strangers since forming has been like the seasons; this track compared to those released previously takes their song creativity to another level. The band has thankfully kept that angst-fueled moodiness the past songs had. The band has always honed in on influences bands from music past. The style of vocal and performance produced here is reminiscent, at least for me, of that from Echo and the Bunnymen or Joy Division, a style which suits them well. The inclusion of the backing synth sound which goes hand in hand with the well-played drums and guitar gives the songs a complex tempo-driven feel, which is unlike anything out there at the moment.
The song leaves me with a sense of euphoria after the first listen and doesn't fade on repeat playbacks. You can hear from the overall mix and sound that the band have spend some time making this, putting effort into it to ensure the sound is just right to give us a feeling that no other band can and I applaud them for it. I've always felt listening to their music and giving the odd review that I am genuinely excited to see where they go from here. They haven't disappointing giving us here an example of a passion project of accomplished musicians giving their all for the love of music.
Charlie Reader - Morning Light - you'll be hard pressed to find music as energetic, full of character and attitude from a solo artist than this track. Charlie has focused his influences from the likes of Mumford and Sons, The Beatles and Bob Dylan, to name a few, and created a track moulded into his own style and performance. His unique singing style introduces us to the song full of power, talent and range. You'd be fooled into thinking you were listening to a chart topper with how professional this track sounds with tonally appealing harmonies, kick drum and expertly strummed guitar. His voice while sounding fresh and modern has hints of a a country twang giving the song a folksy tone throughout. The song leaves me for one wanting more and I can't wait to see what's on offer from Charlie in future releases.
Overall, what we have here are four totally, tonally different genres of music giving us a taste of what amazing music is on offer right on our doorsteps. Spend a little time to listen to the tracks for yourself and make your own mind up about them and make that effort to see them live as this music is best felt and listened to at a gig.