MuzikMan's Reviews And News: Self-Titled

Showing posts with label Self-Titled. Show all posts

12/13/2023

L.A. Alt-Rock Band Make Believe Friends Releases New Single “INTENTIONS” Along with Their New Album “MAKE BELIEVE FRIENDS”

L.A. based Make Believe Friends drops their latest single and new album on Friday, December 15, 2023. The new single, “Intentions”, is an upbeat alt-rock style song featuring Mindy Milburn on lead vocals and music by guitarist/keyboardist Laura Espinoza and lyrics by Milburn & Espinoza. Legendary Producer Ed Stasium (Talking Heads, Ramones) provided the full mix and Bernie Godwin (whose father Dito Godwin produced No Doubt), was the recording engineer.

“Intentions” releases in tandem with Make Believe Friends’ first album to be called by the band’s name: “Make Believe Friends”.

“The catchy 'Intentions' opens Make Believe Friends' new self-titled debut album, with struggling relationship lyrics in parallel to current world issues. Mindy Milburn powerfully declares, 'I'm walking away' and Laura Espinoza echoes that strength with her fuzz guitar in the bridge. 'Intentions' is followed by seven equally great original compositions and an edgy cover of Blondie's 'Rapture' from this talented group who also perform as the Blondie tribute band, Heart of Blonde. Intentions is in my Top 5 Fabulous Albums of 2023”. - Warren Kurtz, Goldmine

The album contains the following songs:
1) Intentions
2) Haunt Me
3) Scream
4) Rapture (Blondie Cover)
5) Somewhere There Forever (ft. Dale Bozzio of Missing Persons)
6) The Truth
7) Thank the Academy
8) Follow Me to the Sun
9) An Act of Love

About Mindy Milburn:
Mindy has a passion for all performing arts- starting out as a ballet dancer and actress, & eventually finding her voice and passion for songwriting and music. She is also the lead vocalist for the Blondie Tribute Band “Heart of Blonde”. Originally from Cleveland Ohio, she has performed in numerous musical theater productions & indie films and was also a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers Dance Team. Mindy made the move to southern California to follow her dream of becoming a recording artist and feels very blessed by the opportunities that have come her way.

About Laura Espinoza:
Laura is a songwriter/guitarist, playwright, and TV producer. She has performed on stage with Luis Maldonado (Train), Terri Nunn (Berlin), Dale Bozzio (Missing Persons) & Prescott Niles (The Knack) and started her career with Matt Sorum (Guns n' Roses). She has recorded at Capitol Records, Hollywood, Abbey Road, UK and is the host of “The Rock Radio Show” on KBUU-FM, Malibu. Laura is also the recipient of 3 Emmy Awards.

To purchase/listen to the music of Make Believe Friends: https://makebelievefriendsband.com

For more information:
www.MakeBelieveFriendsBand.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/makebelievefriendsband
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MakeBelieveFriends
Instagram: @Makebelievefriendsband

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 1-828-350-8158 (US), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

5/10/2023

NINE MILE STATION Featuring WILL HAWKINS & FERNANDO PERDOMO To Release New Self-Titled Album July 21, 2023

Mixed by multi-grammy award-winning producer AL SCHMITT, Engineered by grammy-award winning Niko Bolas

Spirit of Unicorn Music are delighted to announce the release of a brand new album from Nine Mile Station, featuring Will Hawkins (WILL HAWKINS solo) and Fernando Perdomo (ECHO IN THE CANYON, FERN & CELLI, MARSHALL CRENSHAW).

The self-titled album features 11 original cuts of modern Americana, with influences as diverse as Tom Petty, Fleetwood Mac, Bruce Springsteen, Wilco, Nick Cave, Neil Young and Bob Dylan.

Hawkins, who released two solo albums in the 2000’s, first came up with the concept for the band in 2019 whilst nursing his gravely ill mother, seeing the therapeutic effects his music had on her. After her passing, Hawkins began writing songs of hope and optimism and vowed to make his Nine Mile Station concept a reality.

Hawkins first came across Perdomo whilst watching the documentary Echo In The Canyon. Hawkins comments “Fernando just jumped off the screen. I couldn’t take my eyes off of him. His sheer joy of playing was so apparent.” Through a mutual friend, the two connected and a few weeks later Perdomo joined the band.

Mid-January 2020 saw the new Nine Mile Station already writing together. When the Covid-19 pandemic hit in early Spring of that year, the next 18 months saw Hawkins and Perdomo locked in the studio carefully crafting new material which would eventually become this brand new album.

Perdomo adds, “I always wanted to be in a band like this. It’s a real band, with real membership, real teamwork. Will represented everything I wanted in a musical partner - he’s honest and committed and determined.” He continues, “Nine Mile Station feels like a perfect outlet for my Americana side. Will gives me the space to be who I am and throw in some elements which might not necessarily be considered Americana and so we can create a sound that’s all our own.”

The album has been described as having a lot of heart and warmth. Something which resonated with legendary multi grammy award-winning producer and sound engineer AL SCHMITT (Duke Ellington, Sam Cooke, Ray Charles, Elvis Presley, Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Jefferson Airplane, Madonna). Hawkins had previously worked alongside Schmitt as a studio assistant. Sending him copies of the Nile Mile Station recordings simply for comment, the band were amazed when Schmitt responded with such resounding positivity, he insisted on mixing the album. As it turned out, it was to be the very last project Schmitt would work on as he passed away on April 26th, 2021. Hawkins continues “As this was Al’s last project, it gives us an incredible responsibility to make sure that this record is heard. Even in the Winter of his life, he was producing amazing work. So this album is an important part of Al’s legacy.”

Al introduced the band to Grammy award winning mixer and engineer NIKO BOLAS (Toto, Prince, Melissa Etheridge). Hawkins comments, “Niko was a Godsend. He really set the bar high for us and we welcomed the challenge and did everything we could to meet his expectations”.

A hard-working live band, Perdomo describes their work as “music designed to be played live”. Indeed, Coachella Valley Weekly recently described the band as delivering the best heartland rock music since Tom Petty’s Hard Promises, Steve Earl’s Guitar Town and Bruce Springsteen’s The River.

NINE MILE STATION are:
Will Hawkins - Lead vocals and guitar
Fernando Perdomo - Lead Guitar
Nick Moran - Drums
Brendan Vasquez - Bass

Produced and Engineered by Will Hawkins and Fernando Perdomo
Mixed by Al Schmitt, Niko Bolas, Will Hawkins and Fernando Perdomo

TRACK LISTING:
1. California
2. Caught In The Rain
3. Fall Into The Sea
4. Who You Love
5. Santa Ana winds
6. Open Highways
7. Theme From Nine Mile Station
8. Hit The Ground
9. Breathe
10. She Walks
11. California Moon

To pre-order: https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product/nine-mile-station-california-vinyl-edition/

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, Billy James, PH: 828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com

6/28/2018

Metal/Hard Rock LP Review: Mount Atlas-Self-Titled (Ltd. Edition Red Vinyl-50 Copies)

Release Date: June 27, 2018

Label: H42 Records

Website

Mount Atlas hails from Germany which is the home of their label H42 Records. This is their debut and is it ever a good one!

I was fortunate to receive 1 of 50 copies of this self-titled red vinyl. This is some bone-crunching hard rock, metal, stoner rock that will get the blood pumping. Check out the colorful artwork on the cover, very cool. That element gives the package an artistic flair that some releases just don’t have. I really appreciate it.

Right from the start of side A, this band comes at you loud and proud with the petal to the metal on “Titan.” This curtain opener sets the tone of what you are in store for until the record stops spinning.

The cool thing about the H42 Records label is that they offer several different configurations of the release and an opportunity to pre-order product (which has come and gone). All kinds of colors are offered up which includes the following:

Red Vinyl Edition (lim. 50 copies)

White Vinyl Edition (lim. 50 copies)

Green Vinyl Edition (lim. 100 copies)

Black Vinyl Edition

Die Hard White Cover Art Edition with white label vinyl + CD (lim. 20 copies)

This is what you can expect on regular basis with releases so each unit is an instant collector’s item. All of this is just the icing on the cake for a solid debut album. Mount Atlas can rock and their lead singer Hendrik Kurre has the right vocal style to complete their sound. His hard-edged pipes have a timbre that suits each track just fine. These are skilled musicians with really good chops that will continue to develop with the passing of time, I have no doubt.

Also included is a live bonus track titled “Burn, Witches!” This is a nice addition to get a glimpse of what the band can sound like in a live setting.

There are a few instances where they bring out a softer side showing how they can switch it up when they choose. I expect great things in the future from Mount Atlas and once you hear this killer debut I am sure you will agree.

I look forward to a great partnership with the label and to bring you all more of these musical treats.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck

June 27, 2018

Founder of:

New Age Music Reviews

Rate The Tracks

Review Provided By MuzikMan’s Reviews and News

Tracks:

Side A:
Titan
Go For A Ride
Down
Atlas
Through The Fire

Side B:
The Hunter
Loss
Bonus Track:
Burn, Witches!-Live In Rottenburg

8/30/2016

Cure for Gravity Announce the Release of Their Cinematic and Atmospheric Self-Titled Debut

Oakland, CA – Cure for Gravity delivers an entrancing amalgam of atmospheric synth/alt/prog rock that is cinematic in nature. The trio of Joe Markert (lead vocals, keys, guitar), Chris Gamper (drums and percussion), & Dave Walcott (lead guitar) will release their self-titled debut Cure for Gravity worldwide both physically and digitally on October 14, 2016. Sometimes classified in genres ranging from Progressive Pop or Synth Rock to Cinematic Alt Rock, Cure for Gravity finds comfort in playing music to a rare world and its listening inhabitants, and will be touring in support of the release throughout 2016 and 2017.

On their new album, the band uses an eclectic blend of electronic and live elements to untether their listeners from this world and transport them into an audio landscape of their own design. Cure for Gravity draws inspirations from an eclectic range of sources, from classic Prog-Rock bands like early Genesis or King Crimson to the experimental electronica of John Cage, at times evoking The Cars or Emerson Lake & Palmer, as well as more recent references like Radiohead, Album Leaf, God is an Astronaut, and The National. It is precisely this eclectic delivery that keeps their fans engaged from track to track and show to show.

Lyrically, Cure for Gravity deals with isolation and helplessness in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. The theme not only fits well with the musical background, but also with the turbulent times we are living in. “BlackMetal,” the album’s first single, explores dark dystopian territory that eerily reflects today’s political landscape, and the band has produced a cinematic music video for the single that perfectly captures this mood. “Push,” their second single, delivers a more optimistic outlook while simultaneously retaining the darker feel of the albums co-inhabitants. “Sunspots,” another of the album’s standout tracks, is an unsettling and dark blend of a Pink Floyd inspired soundscape alongside lead singer Joe Markert’s haunting and Jeff Buckley-esque vocals.

The remainder of the album maintains this sonic thread, shifting us back and forth across the red line from the melodic anthem of “Tonight” all the way through the final John Barry-sounding closer “Killing for the Queen.” With their new release, Cure for Gravity has displayed a full ownership of their sound, curating their diverse blend of influences into a unique musical offering while showcasing an impressive range of musical talents.

No strangers to hard work, the band has created their own independent record label, Cure for Gravity Records, to release this debut. Cure for Gravity was recorded at 25th Street Recording in Oakland, CA, and produced by Gabriel Shepard and Joe Markert. Expect more new music, the release of the “BlackMetal” music video, and touring both in the USA and Internationally throughout 2016 and 2017.

The Cure for Gravity album will be released worldwide on October 14, 2016 on all digital platforms and in select retailers.

For Music Samples or to Pre-Order Cure For Gravity CD visit: https://cureforgravity.bandcamp.com/

For more information and touring schedule check Cure for Gravity’s website: http://www.cureforgravity.net/

Press inquiries & interview requests contact Billy James at Glass Onyon PR:
828-350-8158 or via email at glassonyonpr@gmail.com

For digital distribution inquiries please contact Jerome Forney at IDC:
415-292-7007 or via e-mail at jerome@independentdistro.com

For live performance bookings and management please contact Cure for Gravity: cureforgravityband@gmail.com

Cure for Gravity Announce the Release of Their Cinematic and Atmospheric Self-Titled Debut

2/02/2016

Former Trans-Siberian Orchestra / Mickey Hart Vocalist Tim Hockenberry to Release Self-titled Debut Album of Original Music March 4th 2016

San Francisco, CA - Tim Hockenberry is a versatile multi-instrumentalist singer and songwriter whose voice is reminiscent of Ray Charles, Joe Cocker, and Tom Waits. He is releasing Tim Hockenberry, his self-titled debut album of all original music, worldwide on March 4th, 2016. He is also a gifted interpreter of well-known cover songs, and you only need to hear a few bars of Hockenberry singing I Left My Heart In San Francisco to understand that this is an artist who has a refreshingly authentic approach to great songs.

Tim gained international fame when he performed and made it to the semi-finals (last singer standing) on America’s Got Talent in 2012, where he was a favorite of judge Howard Stern. Stern declared Tim’s semi-final performance of John Lennon’s Imagine, with Tim on the piano accompanied by a cellist, “the most moving we’ve had from a singer in a long time.” The sparse arrangement won Stern over, who gave him a standing ovation and said the singer deserves “a place in the finals.” Sharon Osbourne described his performance as “very true” and “refreshing,” adding, “I thoroughly enjoyed it.” Howie Mandel said he could listen to Tim Hockenberry sing “all night long.”

Tim Hockenberry is best known for his engaging and intimate cover versions of a variety of well known hits, and for some 20 years he’s made his living singing them in concert halls, living rooms, private events, and clubs. It never really mattered what Tim sang; he was beloved by his fans. He hadn't performed his own songs much, except for once-in-awhile occurrences. But that all changed when he met up with vocalist and producer, Natasha Miller.

In 2014 Tim didn’t have a manager, so he and Natasha entered into a formal agreement and began a complete reshaping of his musical direction—moving from covers to more of Tim’s own compositions. “I had heard a couple of Tim’s originals and thought they were ‘hit’ material,” says Natasha. “I asked him if he had more. Not only did he have more, they poured out of him, almost on demand.” Tim began writing more new songs, and they went back and looked at others he’d already done but put aside. With a couple more written by his sons, there were enough for a full-length recording.

The first track, “Me and You,” was written by Tim with his 19-year-old son Maxx on Christmas Day in 2012. “If the Sky Was to Fall” was written with his youngest son Jack, who was 17 at the time. Meanwhile, about the same time Tim and Natasha began working together, she enlisted her brother Justin Miller to play with Tim in his live band and help shape a new and different sound for his shows. That was the turning point—it was Justin himself who did the production, arrangements and played most of the instruments on the entire project... “We all got excited and motivated and started on what would become a year-long project,” says Natasha. “It’s been so much fun!”

Tim’s songs became Justin’s canvas for painting nuances–sounds both bold and subtle that spoke to the personality and content of each song itself. Stories Tim was telling through his songs became more vivid and alive in Justin’s interpretation and imagination. The common threads throughout are Tim’s vocals and writing. Each song charts its own unique journey from the first moment to the end. From pizzicato violin, yodeling, and the klezmer-sounds of the accordion to the speech-like tones of the Hammond B3 and the Deep-South wailing of the slide guitar—the songs travel through many layers of what is categorized these days as Americana. Mostly acoustic, always authentic.

Born on June 13, 1962 in upstate New York, Tim’s family moved a few times during his childhood. He graduated in 1980 from Owatonna High School in rural Minnesota in a small town south of Minneapolis. Tim's musical odyssey began when he sang in the choir, and then taught himself to play the piano while fervently playing the trombone as well. He eventually moved to Northern California and he has been a mainstay in the entertainment industry ever since, having become known for his covers of Sitting on the Dock of The Bay or Christmas by the Bay. Tim Hockenberry splits his time between Charleston, South Carolina and San Francisco, California, where he has become a beloved part of the Bay Area’s rich arts culture.

Over the past few years Tim Hockenberry has shared the stage with many legendary performers including Bonnie Raitt, Steve Miller, and Robert Cray, to name a few. Tim has established himself as a very compelling and important artist in the Bay Area music scene. In addition to touring with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra and with Mickey Hart of the Grateful Dead, Tim has performed at high-profile venues all over northern California, including The Fillmore, Great American Music Hall, Bimbo's 365 Club, The Napa Valley Opera House, The Luther Burbank Center for the Performing Arts, Feinstein's at the Hotel Nikko, and 142 Throckmorton Theater. He has also headlined at a multitude of festivals including the Robert Mondavi Summer Concert Series, the Clearwater Jazz Festival, and the Mill Valley Arts Festival.

For More Information and Tour Dates please visit Tim’s website: www.timhockenberry.com

Press Inquiries & Interview Requests please contact Billy James/Glass Onyon PR: glassonyonpr@gmail.com or 828-350-8158

For Bookings and Management please contact Natasha Miller/Entire Productions: natasha@entireproductions.com or 415-291-9191 x701

Former Trans-Siberian Orchestra / Mickey Hart Vocalist Tim Hockenberry to Release Self-titled Debut Album of Original Music March 4th 2016

6/25/2014

Progressive Rock Review: Corvus Stone-Self-Titled

Release Date: 6th November 2012
Label: Melodic Revolution Records
Website

This must be the longest time that has passed between an album being released and a review taking place, but as they say, “better late than never!” The album in question is from the band, Corvus Stone and is self-titled, being released back in 2012. This is not a new album to me as there have been several tracks aired on the radio show.

The band originally came together by the power of the social networks, when the core trio of the band started to work together and realized that they were producing amazing music through their collaboration. This original trio, Colin Tench (guitars), Petri Lemmy Lindstrom (bass) and Pasi Koivu (keyboards) expanded to include Robert Wolff (drums), Blake Carpenter (vocals) and, whilst not a musician, still an integral cog in Corvus Stone, Sonia Mota (artist). It is Sonia’s stunning artwork that adorns the cover and CD insert of the album. There are also contributions from Stef Flaming (vocals, guitars), John Culley (guitars) and Victor Tassone (drums).

One point that should be made, is that most, if not all, of the music on the album, was put together by musicians recording their parts in various places, before it was seamlessly “bolted together.”

There are many influences listed by the members of the band and include, Pink Floyd, ELP, Camel, Porcupine Tree, King Crimson, David Bowie, Riverside, Jeff Beck, Peter Gabriel and Deep Purple, which certainly indicates a background steeped in classic progressive music.

Corvus Stone is a 21 track single album release (with a further 2 bonus tracks on the early digital releases) with a running time that is only seconds short of 80 minutes, the maximum recommended to maintain the required sound quality. The track lengths are very variable, with four of them, “The Curtain Rises,” “Horizon,” “Intermission” and “Ten Inch Lisa,” all being less than 2 minutes in length, while track 18, “Cinema” is the longest track at 10:50 minutes.

The starting track of Corvus Stone, “The Curtain Rises” (1:32) is an aptly titled track, and is a short instrumental with some excellent acoustic guitar and a middle eastern instrument, which you are just settling into when it is gone and we are onto track 2. “October Sad Song “ (4.57) has some wonderful guitar work throughout and there is amazing synth/keyboard playing which means that this instrumental, together with the odd time changes and interjections by other instruments, maintains the listeners’ attention. Some heavy riffing guitar heralds track 3, “Highway to Emptiness” (2:28), the third instrumental, which motors along with some more superb synth passages. The fourth track, “Ice King” certainly changes the style, as for the first time, vocals appear, and are provided by Blake Carpenter (The Minstrel’s Ghost), which together with the excellent guitar work by Colin Tench produce an atmospheric track, which ultimately seems just too short.

“Corvus Stone” (8:20), the title track, being a longer track allows the ideas in the music to evolve a little more and there is more evidence of the amazing interplay of guitar and synth/keyboards. This is a hugely atmospheric track, shifting this way and that, and at times recalls the superb keyboard sounds produced by the (late) Bo Hansson, with those amazing grandiose swirling techniques. The guitar of Colin is always there, behind the keyboards of Pasi and they paint an amazing aural scene, and if you then throw in some subtle time changes, you have another majestic slice of progressive music.

The longest track on offer, “Cinema” (10:50) has some simply stunning guitar and keyboard passages, and as the track unwinds with similarly changing time shifts, some superb acoustic guitar work and beautiful electric guitar passages, which interchange frequently. This exudes a feeling of taking you on a journey with the music, allowing you to drift into the aural palette they are plucking the sounds from. “Cinema” also reappears as a bonus alternative version on the digital download early release.

It is not possible to detail all the tracks on this 21 track album, but to summarize there is a myriad of different styles on display encompassing more jazzy and blues styles from time to time. One or two of the tracks, especially the very short ones suggest ideas that possibly never really came to fruition and there is a feeling at times of patchiness. A real oddity in today’s musical world must be “The Rusty Wolff Attack,” which is a straightforward drum solo, introducing the new drummer.

After many plays, my overall impression of Corvus Stone is that the band have huge ranges of musical ideas which when they all come together correctly, result in pieces of sublime music, but at times the fusion isn’t perfect. The band were keen to demonstrate the range that they possess, but I feel that with more prudent trimming here and there, Corvus Stone could have been a simply stunning album, whereas, although there are some simply stunning tracks, some tracks don’t hit that musical peak.

As always, grab this album and give it several listens, as I am sure that my personal choices of the lesser successful tracks might not be what others think. I would still award the album a “One to Buy” sticker and I look ahead eagerly to the follow-up album, which has already had some video teasers released.

4/5 Stars

Key Tracks: October Sad Song, Corvus Stone, Cinema

Jim “The Ancient One” Lawson-Sr. Reviewer Prog Rock Music Talk

June 25, 2014

Review Provided By Prog Rock Music Talk

Tracks:
The Curtain Rises
October Sad Song
Highway To Emptiness
Ice King
I’ll Leave It All Behind
Corvus Stone
Moron Season
Horizon
Intermission
Moustaches In Massachusetts
Pilgrims
Jussipussi
Iron Pillows
After Solstice
The Rusty Wolff Attack
Lost And Found
Scary Movie
Cinema
You’re So Long
The Ice King (Instrumental)
Ten Inch Lisa
The Stones Meet Cheryl In Soundtrack From Hell*
Cinema (Alternative Version)*
*Bonus tracks on early digital download versions.