Rhett Repko - Thnx For The Ride (2017)

OFFICIAL: http://www.rhettrepko.com/

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/rhettrepko/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/RhettRepko

Written by Craig Bowles, posted by blog admin

Thnx For The Ride, a seven song EP, marks Rhett Repko’s second impressive release in 2017 and bears all the signs it might propel Repko to a greater renown than he has thus far experienced. It differs from his previous 2017 release, About Last Night, thanks to a much more resolute focus on being a pure, outright rock release incorporating the same singer/songwriter sensibility pervading his earlier releases. Repko makes no bones about being a classicist in some respects, but the most refreshing aspect of his songwriting and performances is how he fuses that approach with a very modern production style and a rambunctious sense of the possible. The title song embodies that. “Thnx for the Ride” mixes things up without the song ever coming off as disjointed or patched together – Repko and his band mates move from straight forward rock passages to other sections that are near reggae or ska in their approach. The lyrics are a bit unusual in the way they approach the time-tested subject matter of relationships and that individual touch on the song separates it from the pack.

“Please Don’t Laugh” keeps the bar set high for Thnx For The Ride with an equally punchy, if a bit more normalized, rock track that plays around with tempo shifts, but never to the same extent as we hear with the opener. The vocals are emphasized here a little more than before and lead guitarist Stefan Heuer excels with an impassioned guitar solo near the song’s end. Perhaps the most compelling section of the song comes near its mid-way point when the musical intensity fades a little and we’re treated to a slow, deliberate middle break that enhances the overall performance. “It Ain’t Coming From You” will be the EP’s peak for many listeners like it is for me and much of this has to do with the overall excellence of the song. There’s a strong acoustic strand underlying the song and wonderfully propulsive drumming from Tom Bryant, but the real highlight of the song comes from Repko’s vocal and another particularly tasty shift in tempo that comes near the track’s second half when the band slows things down and conjures a tasteful, thoughtful instrumental break.

“Maybe I’m Weak” elaborates on the previous song by expanding the dance between electric and acoustic guitars. Certain parts of this song may strike some listeners as choppy, but those passages are redeemed by yet one more intensely emotive Repko vocal and the rock firepower he and the band brings to bear in other portions of the tune. “And I Told Her So” has one of the EP’s best vocals with lead guitarist Stefan Heuer contributing a lot with his backing vocals. He rips loose with a biting solo, as well, during the song’s second half that underlines the potent rock power of this number, Thnx For The Ride concludes with the track “Make Me Right” and it’s a zesty closer for the EP that shows no fall off in energy from the first song. Repko has reached a new pinnacle with this release and Thnx For The Ride is chock full of great songs sure to be featured in his live set.

Blue Apollo - Light Footed Hours + Circles (2017)

OFFICIAL: http://blueapollomusic.com/

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/blueapollomusic/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/BlueApolloMusic

Written by Raymond Burris, posted by blog admin

Blue Apollo’s 6 song debut finds this trio getting started off on the right foot and then some.  With a rocking sound equally composed of melody and unusual indie rock swerves that include dramatic build-ups, trippy texture work and some musical arrangements that are almost symphonic in their delivery.  Light-Footed Hours is an EP with enough musical variety happening that it hits with the satisfaction of listening to a full-length. 

The back to back attack of the dexterous and speedy “Walls” which muscularly flexes its way through pop punk tempos, diamond sharp indie riffs focused on higher-end melodic pinches, busy drums with a steady tom-tom battery, beefy bass grooves, spitfire guitar solos and guitarist/vocalist Luke Nassar’s gorgeous melody vocals are wonderfully complimented by the slower paced though no less gnarly “Feeling Right.”  “Feeling Right” seems to cherry pick its deep, bustling bass grooves from funk while the guitar work and heartfelt vocals are straight out of the soulful r n’ b department.  All throughout both tracks Nassar threads the material tightly with his pointed indie licks that enjoy minor keys and noisy 90s indie melodies but somehow smoothens out the rough edges for the creation of some really snazzy pop leaned stuff.  The band’s more rocking grooves reach an apex on third cut, “Therapy” where a fuzzy rock riff is filtered through an 80s style sonic production tone with rhythmic dedication and cresting melodic vocals that complete this piece to perfection.  There’s not a bum or sour note hit throughout this three track marathon and then the album starts to morph and shapeshift into its next phase. 

On the second side of this EP the trio draws down the mood on the plaintive and sublime “Avalanche” where Luke’s voice is accompanied by a piano in a lengthy intro movement that ratchets up the melodic drama more and more with each passing moment.  As the backbeat begins to fill in thanks to Jeremiah Jensen’s stern kick drum thump and a budding root system of guitar/bass inflections, the tune eventually reaches a climactic point where things step up into some melodic rockin’.  They ply the same mindset to “Meant to Be” but hold back on the piano accoutrements and replace that stylistic component with some showering drops of acoustic guitar and another deliberate climb to a summit of groovy indie pop.  It’s a cool facet of the band’s sound that even when they are tackling full on ballads that they always set the songs up to go somewhere truly special and noteworthy.  Finale number “Circles” is a bonus track but it fits in with the framework of the rest of the tunes without a hitch.  The rushing tom-tom percussion creates a busy, swatting backbeat that’s colored in by radiant guitar licks and lush, organic bass lines.  A few dabs of piano and some fully fleshed vocal hooks round this track out into a pyrotechnic explosion of atmosphere and ambience that’s all wrapped up by a bow of stellar songwriting. 

Light-Footed Hours is an ear pleasing EP with all killer and no filler.  Blue Apollo know how to rock and they are a truly “alternative” sounding band with a style that would have really made during the 90s or the indie/emo surge that went into the early two –thousands.  This is a solid release and it comes with a high recommendation for fans of the genre.

Shofar - s/t (2017)

BANDCAMP: https://shofar.bandcamp.com/releases

BROADJAM: http://www.broadjam.com/shofar

Written by Raymond Burris, posted by blog admin

Shofar’s initial run in the early 2000’s sparked a great deal of deserved attention as the band, led by singer and songwriter Larry Hagner, married a compelling rock sound with a definite spiritually minded message without seeming like a pulpit blocked their guitars, drums, and basses. They have returned after a long absence with a self-titled EP release that shows they have further refined that balance they so artfully achieved on initial recordings. This new release is well in keeping with the Minneapolis area’s long standing reputation as a musical nerve center and puts forward a band who is more than capable of entrancing their audience with considered lyrical ideas and messages alongside gripping musical works. The new EP re-launches their recording careers quite effectively with a thoroughly modern sound that still makes great use of familiar effects .

“Running” gets the EP off to a fast start. This is one of the EP’s best mixes of light and shadow as it builds from a brief keyboard driven introduction into crushing riffage before settling into much more melodic verses. There’s no question that this is all-out rock with some singing from Hagner that shows equal parts abandon and adventurousness, but Shofar gives audiences a gripping listen. “Powerman” is cut from a much more classic cloth and has some echoes of The Beatles and The Kinks in its presentation. Just the right amount of backing vocals make this a further enjoyable tune and the light, commercially-minded melodicism of the tune helps win over listeners as well. There’s a bit more rock power being channeled with significant passages in the tune “Shades of Grey”, but they never get anywhere near the bulldozing heights of the EP’s first track. Hagner’s quite comfortable working in a singer/songwriter vein and few songs make that more apparent.

“Hands Down” is going to be a rousing live number for the band that’s guaranteed to score some heavy audience participation. It has the sort of wide swing and swagger we haven’t heard from the EP’s earlier cuts and Hagner takes over the lyric with a cool confidence that elevates the lyric a few extra notches. They indulge themselves with some apocalyptic warning in the song “Countdown”, but the songwriting point of view is implied rather than belabored and it makes for an entertaining, though chilling, listen. “The Coming” doesn’t tumble head first into a morass of self indulgence, as it likely would have in a lesser band’s hands, but it’s definitely a piece where Hagner and Shofar see fit to stretch themselves a little to excellent effect. It concludes Shofar’s “comeback” EP with an emphatic musical statement that seems to say, yes, they can get any audience up off their feet and moving, but songs like “The Coming” are in their future as well because they are emboldened by the conviction they have something important to say. And say it they shall.

Michael Askin - Road by the River (2017)

REVERBNATION: https://www.reverbnation.com/michaelaskin

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/MichaelAskinMusic/

Written by Daniel Boyer, posted by blog admin

As the title track to this 5-cut EP crashes into its first peppy snare beat and the swinging southern-fried acoustic gravy rolls over top of a swaying bass line, it becomes instantly clear that New Jersey singer/songwriter/guitarist Michael Askin is firing on all cylinders.  Primarily a guitarist, Askin found himself in the role of a solo artist when he decided that he wanted to express his musical interests in a more in-depth way.  He played in the bands Divine Sign and My State of Attraction but mainly as lead guitarist.  Now he finds himself as not only lead guitarist but lead vocalist, bassist, drummer, organist, composer and arranger on Road by the River; the third in a series of EPs he’s been releasing since 2013. 

Eschewing fancy playing for multifaceted instrumental layering, acoustic/electric texture balance and utilizing keys/organ where it’s needed most, the entirety of the music on Down by the River is exciting and engaging.  “Nashville” dials down the twitchy rhythms and high-speed acoustic guitars of the opening track for a stalwart, bluesy churn that wavers between slow and mid-tempo timekeeping.  The distant hum of synths color in the background alongside slight electric riffs and a largely acoustic groove that rocks as hard as it smoothly rolls.  All throughout Askin’s unassuming but strong vocal timbre harnesses a downplayed blues vibe that’s all about contagious melodies and occasional 2-part harmonies.  Slide guitar only heightens the melodic stakes on the table and if this track cuts and deals the deck, “Sun Going Down” wins the game with gusto…”house rules’” style!  Crumbling, heavy blues rock riffs and smoke-cured vocal grain are offset by a humming organ/keyboard support system that adds yet another layer to the arid, open acoustic guitar chords and gnarly electric grooves.  Askin holds down the rhythm end with forlorn blues beats that tell a story while ensuring that drumming doesn’t overtake the guitar.  He takes the same approach in terms of the bass’ numerous stops/starts and half-step pacing. 

Combing the melodic folk country of the title track opener with the chunky, dense blues of “Sun Going Down,” “Hard to Make a Living” contains just the right amount of rock n’ roll alongside it’s bristling acoustic swerves and church organ enrichment.  One of Michael’s catchiest, hookiest vocal melodies appears in the chorus of this journeyman tune (which describes the life of a touring musician trying to cut their teeth on the road).  Rounding out the EP, “Last Train” wanders in on the same type of country kickin’ folk that The Byrds or even the Guthries pioneered although Askin shakes up the mix with keyboard oscillations that incrementally raise the volume until things reach a noisy, Pink Floyd sort of progressive climax. 

Road by the River has nary a dull moment or wasted note in its short, 20 minute running time.  Askin excels at the blues, is a capable rock n’ roller, tender folk traveler and just about anything else you can imagine as a songwriter and a player.  This record is uplifting and flat out rocks.  It’s easily the strongest of his 3 EP efforts to date and should be a favorite for old fans and newcomers alike.

The Joe Olnick Band - Downtown (2017)

OFFICIAL: https://www.joeolnick.com/

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/JoeOlnickMusic

Written by Frank McClure, posted by blog admin

Led by experimental, innovative guitarist Joe Olnick, the Joe Olnick Band is a sizzling instrumental power trio rounded out by Jamie Aston on bass and drummer Jamie Smucker.  Downtown is the project’s 6^th outing and this release is filled to the brim with diverse influences that mix rock, funk, jazz and cinema soundscapes into a prog-rock brew that’s nearly impossible to nail down. 

The blazing title cut struts wildly with a funky bass groove atop a floor thumping beat; immediately setting on an aggressive yet danceable aesthetic.  Olnick’s trippy, wah-ed out guitar work is a glorious reminder of greats like Jimi Hendrix, Tommy Bolin’s funkier jams off of Teaser or even some of the crazy German rock from the late 60s/early 70s.  It swings in a distinctive way that hooks you in and scrambles your eggs with glee.  “Philadelphia Moonlight (Part One)” is more surf-y and splashy, peddling an easygoing and laidback groove propelled by some tight, agile fill-work.  Aston lays down an alley cat prowl while Smucker locks on like a pair of crosshairs.  Olnick’s tasty licks and clever lead n’ rhythm jukes constantly comments on the rhythm section’s raucous antics.    

“Parkside” ratchets up a repeating, hypnotic funk groove by adding thoughtful layers in bite-sized pieces; a slinky flux on the bass lines here, an extra couple of snare interjections there and a hot-blooded lead bit right on top.  It never changes tempos much but the textures are constantly piling up higher and higher.  The minimalist hum of “Philadelphia Moonlight (Part Two)” is a humming, alien drone piece with a lot of amplified weirdness and single note string-strangeness to give the ears an off-the-wall, atonal workout. 

Living up to its name, “Rush Hour” burns rubber on a tire fire barrage of electrified riffs and licks as the silly slappin’, power groove of the rhythm section takes absolutely no prisoners in clearing a path to the holy groove.  Closer “Sports Complex” rips wide a full-throttle combo of punk and psychedelic guitar scorch that couldn’t possibly serve up a more teeth-kickin’ finale.  The guitar work spirals out into endless rays of that late 60s/early 70s aggressive psyche rock.  Overall, it’s a killer finale to an album that showcases many strengths from track to track. 

I feel like I’ve been hiding under a rock by just discovering Joe Olnick’s music right now in 2017.  It’s never too late to get into someone’s art but I certainly feel like I’ve been missing out.  Olnick, Aston and Smucker possess a solid funk background and some superbly melodic free-jamming chops but a willingness to explore the more dangerous, threatening boundaries of rock n’ roll and that’s what makes this record a pleasure to experience.  It really is best treated as an experience, so that means getting a pair of headphones and playing it from start to finish without interruption.  Stick with the longer, winding jams for the ride because this power trio packs each tune with subtle changes that make for a challenging but rewarding listen.