Deadman
Life is an ever moving and changing landscape. Steven Collins decided to form a band, Deadman, around his songs in 1999 to explore and expand on his songwriting. The players have gone from four to two to six members. In the middle of the shifts there has been a constant. Steven’s songs continue to stand up and say something. They are here to be counted in the glass half full category and offer comfort, solace, hope and mercy.
Over the course of ten plus years Deadman have released four studio albums. Their latest, Take Up Your Mat & Walk, offers the band as a six piece and stays true to the course Steven Collins set to music back in 1999. The songs make a study of life and death themes over determined Americana and Roots arrangements. “Oh Delilah” reminds the lady in the title of all the good times over fat and full organ chord vibrations and twang guitar bursts and “Don’t Do This to Me” bounces along over solid rhythm thumbs and pleads with a love interest not to let a little fun get in the way of romance. “I’m Not Who You Think I Am” peels back the layers of the wishes of others that are painted on the narrator to reveal a true self standing proud.
DOWNLOAD DEADMAN "DON'T DO THIS TO ME"
Liz Mandeville
Guard the doors, nobody leaves until Liz Mandeville finds out who stole her “Sweet Potatoe Pie”.
The horn section has her back and she is on the hunt. The spit that flies makes you think that maybe Liz is not really talking about pie, at least not the small, round, by the slice variety.
“Clarksdale”, the most recent release from Liz Mandeville stocks its shelves with blues as Liz heads back to youthful taunts (“My Mama Wears Combat Boots”), lets us know that the morning light is bringing the good life with its warmth (“Fear/Everything”), checks in at the crossroads for a business meeting with the devil to see if she can up her game (“Clarksdale/Riverside Hotel Blues”) and takes a stand against a judicial system that lets murderers go free and pot smokers doing hard time (“4:20 Blues”). Liz Mandeville has a blues growl that keeps her hot in her hometown of Chicago. Clarksdale chronicles a pilgrimage Liz made to the Delta and the self-awareness that came back with her as a souvenir.
DOWNLOAD LIZ MANDEVILLE "SWEET POTATOE PIE"
Mike Breen
Long time buddies came to help Mike Breen and play on his most recent release, All Night Long. Mike gathered friends from the Phoenix area, players who have day gigs that take them to world stages and hearts that hold loyalty as a cherished trait. All Night Long features Doug Haywood (Jackson Browne), Mickey McGee ( Linda Ronstadt), Michael Dinner (Flying Burritos Brothers), Matt Cartsonis (Warren Zevon) and Cheryl Wolff (Alan Jackson).
Listening to All Night Long, your ear can tell why Mike Breen collects friends like coupons offering specials. His vocal delivery is warm and inviting. His story lines are conversations about life and observations on its living moments. “Baby’s Comin’ in on a Plane” lets you feel the excitement of the guy at the gate whose heart beats a little faster with each departing passenger, “Cristina Valencia” slips south of the border to plead to the lady in the title for a little love light from her dark eyes and “Carnival Queen” walks the midway with love at your side.
DOWNLOAD MIKE BREEN "JUST POOR"
Raymond Gonzalez
Bright notes played so that each has a say is the standard on the most recent album effort from
Raymond Gonzalez, Open Tuning. Recorded at Blue Fish Studios in Marblehead, Mass, Open Tuning is 100% Raymond Gonzalez. Beyond masterful playing that caresses and coaxes notes from the guitar, Raymond wrote produced, recorded and mixed the project.
Open Tuning features elements of Jazz and Classical music a Raymond Gonzalez incorporates earlier compositions into the tunes, offering him a way to rediscover them in the present. “Jersey Flower” sparkles like dew in the sunlight, “Sad-Eyed Brother” offers sparse note patterns and uses the spaces in between to confirm the hurt, “Midnight Aria” lets the glow of its softly plucked arrangement shine in the dark and “The Red Leaf” picks up the pace and hurries the track along with flying fingers and notes that flash by like memories.
DOWNLOAD RAYMOND GONZALEZ "THE RED LEAF"
Nook & Cranny
Nook & Cranny comes out of Gainesville, Florida with a self-titled debut album. The band is comprised of friends getting together and recording. The result is a musical blend of folk, roots and Americana guide by fiddle, banjo, dobro, bass and guitar that is host to community style vocals.
The band’s self-titled debut offers audio sunshine to match the brightness of a day when you “Woke Up in Love”. The song captures the joy of a night locked in embraces and skin that has been brushed with the lips of love. There is a lot of happy in the music of Nook & Cranny, arrangements that blink and bump along allowing the vocals of four our out of five members to take control of the stories. The tales tell of knowing your place (“Stay”), the need to feel alive (“Shook Up”), talk about the pain found in the paper you are holding (“The Letter”) and the challenges of the day to day (“Kill Me Before I Get Old”).
DOWNLOAD NOOK & CRANNY "WOKE UP IN LOVE"
{auto displayheight="275" height="450" width="400" plthumbs="true" shuffle="false" repeat="list" pbgcolor="#000000" pfgcolor="#cccccc", phicolor="#0099ff" showstop="true" showeq="false"}FeaturedArtistsAug0312.xml{/auto}
.jpg)
