Showing posts with label Indepedent Musician. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Indepedent Musician. Show all posts

10/26/2015

Folk Review: Cynthia Chitko-Days Gone By Remembered

Release Date: June 15, 2015
Label: Promotion Music Records

Cynthia Chitko is an artist with a deep emotional investment in her music. Days Gone by Remembered is Chitko’s sophomore album and reaches deeper into in a folk sound with country and Americana foundations. Songs of remembrance and focus on the family are rich with expressive elements, vocals and instrumentation. Artists on this album include Peter Phippen (Fender bass, William Hall & Son boxwood flute), Randy Sabien (violin, mandolin), Ivan Lunde Jr (frame drum, Rain FX), Robert Baca (trumpet), Terrence Karr (tabla drums) and of course Cynthia Chitko on acoustic guitar and vocals.

In an album that scrapes against the raw emotions of being human Days Gone by Remembered is a look into the fiber of the artist’s soul. One of the most striking pieces was “My Innocence”. It tells of a young girl whose innocence was stolen at the hands of someone very close to her. This piece will resonate with anyone who has ever had a similar experience. The pain suffered travels across time, even when the perpetrator dies. The acoustic guitar, frame drum and Fender bass blend with Cynthia’s seamless vocals to portray feels that most consider too difficult in general conversation, let alone a well-built song. This song is for all of us that have been wounded in such a way by the very people we trusted. Kudos to you Cynthia for your courage and forbearance. 

“Gray Rainy Day” begins with the natural sound of rain and morphs into melodious violin sequences. Chitko’s vocals resonate through the piece, paired with Fender bass, acoustic guitar and Rain FX. Memories are stirred by occasions but even as events happen both good and bad, life still goes on. 

Evoking the spirit of freedom, “Dance with Me Mata Hari” spirals into being. The Tabla drum, acoustic guitar, Fender bass and Chitko’s signature emotive vocals take the listener on a magic carpet ride. The wild and sensuous essence of the legendary spy and lover coaxes you to cast all your inhibitions to the wind and let yourself go. The rhythm and folk sounds of this piece make you want to throw back your hair and just do it. Step out of the box and let your flag fly high.

Days Gone By Remembered is an album rich with memories and textured sound. The human condition is a blend of joy and pain and Cynthia Chitko purveys that well by using voice and instrumentation to craft an organic experience. She and her contributing artists have brought the shadows of the past alive and they are dancing. If you enjoy folk music with a focus on human elements, I recommend this album.

4/5 Stars

Key Tracks: My Innocence, Dance With Me Mata Hari, Gray Rainy Day

Tracks:
 

01.Days Gone by Remembered
02.Stain on the Wood
03.Snake Eyes
04.My Innocence
05.Word
06.Whenever I See You
07.Gray Rainy Day
08.The Spirits Won't Let Me Be
09.Unfree
10.Dance With Me Mata Hari
11.Watching over You

 
Dana Wright, Sr. Staff Writer
October 26, 2015
Review Provided By Write A Music Review

6/23/2014

Physical Distribution of Your Music

Last week I discussed an overview of distributing your music online. This week’s article is a discussion about the physical distribution of your music.

Today, physical music is more than just the CD.  The packaging that goes with your music conveys your style and the style of your music.  Make it eye catching, add some images from a stock library, add some effects to the images, and then layer them one on top of the other.

I use these three main software programs to do the graphics on my CD cases.
·         Adobe Illustrator
·         Adobe Photoshop
·         Perfect Photo Suite
·         A variety of effects from Photomorphis

I usually use a photo that I take of myself, and then add a bunch of effects to it, add some text like my name and the album title, and then convert that to a PDF or JPEG for printing.  You can do that for the cover jacket, the back jacket,  and the inside cover. Don’t forget the image for the CD itself. Try something that matches the album cover so that they all tie in together.

Don’t forget liner notes as a possible addition.  These printed pages could engage your listener by telling your story, and you can include your lyrics.  You may even consider a nice 8 x 10 glossy of your face for someone’s wall!

You could distribute physical copies of your music by putting it on a CD and selling it at performances, or you could sell it though Amazon’s warehouse, and a host of other similar warehouse-stores willing to store and ship your CD.

I mentioned CD’s above, but you could also press your music to vinyl.  The record players that are out there today are portable and gorgeous.  Vinyl could be a good way to find a niche audience for your music.

And talking about niche audiences, you could even rip your music to cassette tape or 8-track.

Now that’s cool!


9/12/2012

Rock/Pop/Country Review: Matt Jameson-Dirt Stomp Romeos

Artist: Matt Jameson
Title: Dirt Stomp Romeos
Genre: Rock-Pop-Country
Label: Olive Records
CD Baby Link
Website
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The last time I heard from Matt Jameson was 2010 when he sent me his 5 song EP South Shore Girls... which I thoroughly enjoyed. So there should not be any reason why my experience would be different a few years down the road right? As it turns out I am glad to say that once again I have enjoyed the music of this talented artist...READ MORE...

5/15/2012

Review: The Mannish Boys – Double Dynamite

Artist: The Mannish Boys
Title: Double Dynamite
Genre: Blues
Label: Delta Groove
Website
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The Mannish Boys are a supercharged blues machine. The creation of Delta Groove Productions centered on giving this amazing group a home base, and for seven years, The Mannish Boys and Delta Groove have been going strong and sharing blues with a whole new generation of listeners...READ MORE...

4/04/2012

Review: Radio Drive – This Is Our Time

Artist: Radio Drive
Title: This Is Our Time
Genre: Alternative Rock
Label: Interscope Digital Distribution
Website
Amazon Link
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If you are looking for an alternative pop rock band that has an upbeat sound, look no further than Radio Drive. The man behind the magic is the very talented Kevin Gullickson. Starting his musical career with a four song EP, Gullickson has been contacted by several major record companies and Grammy Award winning producers that are interested in his sound...READ MORE...

11/27/2011

Review: Sojourn – A Child Is Born

Artist: Sojourn
Title: A Child Is Born
Genre: Holiday/Alternative Rock
Label: Sojourn Music
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Sojourn is a band created from the Sojourn Community Church in Louisville, Kentucky. Wanting a different kind of church, they set out with founding member Pastor Mike Cosper to create an environment rich in the arts, church fellowship and worship. Now with three campuses in Louisville, the church has grown, and with it, the band...READ MORE...

8/30/2011

Mike McGuire Releases Country- Americana Classic Beyond The Ark

Louisville, Kentucky-August, 31, 2011- Mike McGuire’s guitar and voice unify to create a new classic for Country and Americana fans to enjoy titled Beyond The Ark...READ MORE...

8/01/2011

Review: Candye Kane-Sister Vagabond

Artist: Candye Kane
Title: Sister Vagabond
Genre: Blues
Label: Delta Groove
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Candye Kane is the jump blues phenomenon from East Los Angeles who has been rocking the blues scene since she was in her early twenties. She has been listed as one of Dan Akroyd’s 30 Essential Women of the Blues...READ MORE...

10/20/2010

Brian Linne-Man on The Moon Review

Artist: Brian Linne
Title: Man on The Moon
Genre: Rock
Label: Independent
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The last album from Brian Linne was the excellent Uniqueness In Me in 2004. Six years later we have another exceptional recording titled Man on The Moon. The CD comes housed in a DVD style case with a large booklet including all the lyrics and artwork relating to each track....READ MORE...

2/24/2008

Sean Costello-We Can Get Together Review


Artist: Sean Costello
Title: We Can Get Together
Genre: Blues-Rock
Label: Delta Groove Music
Website
Amazon Link
iTunes Link
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Sean Costello has that gritty soulful vocal style that is a perfect fit for blues rockers and his new release We Can Get Together is jam packed with songs that focus on scorching hot blues-rock licks while he belts out every song as if he was living it, with straight from the gut vocals...READ MORE...