Breaking Thru
Discovery is the lifeblood of music. In Breaking Thru we give a listen to independent artists that are making music that needs to be heard. Please give a listen, follow, and support DIY performers.
Robin Adams (from the album Sun Behind the Storm available on Hamework Records) (By Danny McCloskey)
The title track for Sun Behind the Storm was released as a single for Robin Adams in 2013. A decade later, Robin has collected tunes that fit the Folk mood and tone of the track. Folk music is the heart of Sun Behind the Storm, the picking style and vocals adding a Celtic wrap for the songs. Robin Adams lays back on a persistent flurry of acoustic guitar notes for “Catapult”, warns to “Hit the Ground Running” on committed strums, marches “To the Sea” with assured chords, mournfully delivers “Losing You” on a bright melody, and lets the rhythms sway like open oceans for “The Devil’s War and God’’s Blue Sea”. (by Danny McCloskey)
Listen to Robin Adams on Spotify
Find more information and purchase options on Robin Adams website
Layng Martine Jr (from the album Music Man available on Bloodshot Records) (by Danny McCloskey)
Following decades of writing musical material for Elvis Presly, Reba McEntire, Jerry Lee Lewis, The Pointer Sisters, and many more, octogenarian Layng Martine Jr releases his debut album, Music Man. Produced by Layng’s son, Tucker Martine (My Morning Jacket, Neko Case, First Aid Kit, Madison Cunningham), Music Man. The album has a 1970’s Cosmic Country Rock texture as Layng Martine Jr warns “Love Comes and Goes”, hushes the melody to announce “Too Young for Paradise”, and claims “You Don’t Need a Ring”. Music Man welcomes guests k.d. lang, Laura Viers, Peter Buck, and Bill Frissell backing Layng Martine Jr as he promises to “Love You Back to Georgia” on a Rock’n’Roll memory and recalls the first blush of love in “Summertime Lovin’”. (by Danny McCloskey)
Listen to Layng Martine Jr on Spotify
Find more information and purchase options on the Layng Martine Jr website
Big Shoes (from the album Fresh Tracks on Qualified Records) (by Danny McCloskey)
Big Shoes fill their recent release Fresh Tracks with musical stew that uses Muscle Shoals as a base adding in touches of Sweet southern Soul, Memphis Blues, and downhome Folk. Fresh Tracks strolls across “Hole in the Sky” as it sinks into “Dreamin’ Again” on a Rock and Soul sway while Big Shoes walk a Rock’n’Roll stagger into “Drunk on Love”, on tenderly make a request with “You Can’t Love Me Like That”, and offer a Soul shout to “I’ve Seen the Light”. The Nashville-based seven-piece formed around as a tribute to Little Feat, Fresh Tracks the band’s effort to make their own music in the style of Lowell George as well as Bonnie Raitt, Ray Charles, and the Allman Brothers Band. Country wraps around “Roses Are Blue” and a confident stride is carried by the Soul sound of “Permanent Midnight” as Big Shoes share secrets in “That’s What I Get (for Lovin’ You)”, advise “There’s Nothing You Can Do”, and offer philosophy on a slightly second line beat for “If the Blues Was Green”. (by Danny McCloskey)
Listen to Big Shoes on Spotify
Find more information and purchase options on the Big Shoes website
Clarence ‘Bluesman’ Davis (from the album Shake It for Me available on Music Maker Foundation, LLC) (By Danny McCloskey)
For the last half-century, Clarence ‘Bluesman’ Davis has curated the music of his homeland. Born in the Eutaw, Alabama to local sharecroppers, Clarence received a guitar a ten-years old, working the cotton fields so he could buy strings, and has never put the instrument down since. At 78-years old Clarence ‘Bluesman’ Davis releases his electric album, Shake It for Me. A one-man band, Clarence Davis augments his electric guitar work with a bass foot pedal, hard vocals, drums, harmonica, and the power of the music in a man’s soul. Shake It for Me is raw, honest, and authentic. To say that Clarence ‘Bluesman’ Davis is the real deal is limiting. The sound that tracked every story of Delta Blues is captured on Shake It for Me. A mighty stomp supports Clarence Davis when he vows “Not Your Fool”, trails a lazy rambling guitar riff through the personal story of “Born in the Country”, begins work early over a tangle of electric guitar strings in “Goosa Farm”, and persistently searches for “Hoochie Mama” on a gnarly groove. Shake It for Me cruises on a steady rhythm through its title track, pummels a rubbery beat into “Gotta Rock It” as Clarence ‘Bluesman’ Davis sings of “Facebook Blues” and deals a “Mojo Hand”. (by Danny McCloskey)
Listen to Clarence ‘Bluesman’ Davis on Spotify
Find more information and purchase options on Clarence ‘Bluesman’ Davis website
Big B and The Actual Proof (from the album The Noir Album available as a self-release) (by Danny McCloskey)
A dark symphony swirls, the soundswath revealing inner-siren and phantom gunshots as Big B and The Actual Proof enter “Wooden Kimono” on a sung-spoken speech. The track opens The Noir Album and, much like its fellow songs, hammers down the beat and paints the walls with the sweet sonic seduction of distortion. A wandering melody floats like a late-night mist under the story of “Horseshoes and Hand Grenades” as adrenalin fuels the caffeinated beat of “Five Hundred Large” while Big B and The Actual Proof nail a groove to “About to Get Evil” with hammering drums and guitar riffs. The Noir Album stage welcomes in an after-hours act in the rhythmic pattern of “Ben Franklin and the Number Five Combo” as it rolls out a mighty beat for “Red Carpet”, and introduces “God’s Lonely Man” while Big B and The Actual Proof provide cinematic wrapping for “Sitting on the Devil’s Lap” and discover midnight is prime time for viewing “Just Another Harlem Sunset”. (by Danny McCloskey)
Listen to Big B and The Actual Proof on Spotify
Find more information and purchase options on the Big B and The Actual Proof website
Tara Jeffrey (from the album Peachy Keen as a self-release) (by Danny McCloskey)
Deep resonating vocals weave the songs of Peachy Keen into a pattern of soulful Americana. The recent release from songmaker Tara Jeffrey uses her vocals as a not-so-secret advantage, creating an urgency for “Marcy”, sings a story of leaving on train-track beat with “Ruth”, boards a dream-like electric groove for “50 Behind”, floats on musical cloud telling the tale of “Other Girl”, and struts on a confident Rock’n’Roll rhythm for “Shiny Broken”. Peachy Keen is a short collection seeking a sequel, sending out a wish like the inspirational opening of the album when Tara Jeffrey offers advice with “Swimming”. (by Danny McCloskey)
Listen to Tara Jeffrey on Spotify
Find more information and purchase options on the Tara Jeffrey website
The title track for Sun Behind the Storm was released as a single for Robin Adams in 2013. A decade later, Robin has collected tunes that fit the Folk mood and tone of the track. Folk music is the heart of Sun Behind the Storm, the picking style and vocals adding a Celtic wrap for the songs. Robin Adams lays back on a persistent flurry of acoustic guitar notes for “Catapult”, warns to “Hit the Ground Running” on committed strums, marches “To the Sea” with assured chords, mournfully delivers “Losing You” on a bright melody, and lets the rhythms sway like open oceans for “The Devil’s War and God’’s Blue Sea”. (by Danny McCloskey)
Listen to Robin Adams on Spotify
Find more information and purchase options on Robin Adams website
Layng Martine Jr (from the album Music Man available on Bloodshot Records) (by Danny McCloskey)
Following decades of writing musical material for Elvis Presly, Reba McEntire, Jerry Lee Lewis, The Pointer Sisters, and many more, octogenarian Layng Martine Jr releases his debut album, Music Man. Produced by Layng’s son, Tucker Martine (My Morning Jacket, Neko Case, First Aid Kit, Madison Cunningham), Music Man. The album has a 1970’s Cosmic Country Rock texture as Layng Martine Jr warns “Love Comes and Goes”, hushes the melody to announce “Too Young for Paradise”, and claims “You Don’t Need a Ring”. Music Man welcomes guests k.d. lang, Laura Viers, Peter Buck, and Bill Frissell backing Layng Martine Jr as he promises to “Love You Back to Georgia” on a Rock’n’Roll memory and recalls the first blush of love in “Summertime Lovin’”. (by Danny McCloskey)
Listen to Layng Martine Jr on Spotify
Find more information and purchase options on the Layng Martine Jr website
Big Shoes (from the album Fresh Tracks on Qualified Records) (by Danny McCloskey)
Big Shoes fill their recent release Fresh Tracks with musical stew that uses Muscle Shoals as a base adding in touches of Sweet southern Soul, Memphis Blues, and downhome Folk. Fresh Tracks strolls across “Hole in the Sky” as it sinks into “Dreamin’ Again” on a Rock and Soul sway while Big Shoes walk a Rock’n’Roll stagger into “Drunk on Love”, on tenderly make a request with “You Can’t Love Me Like That”, and offer a Soul shout to “I’ve Seen the Light”. The Nashville-based seven-piece formed around as a tribute to Little Feat, Fresh Tracks the band’s effort to make their own music in the style of Lowell George as well as Bonnie Raitt, Ray Charles, and the Allman Brothers Band. Country wraps around “Roses Are Blue” and a confident stride is carried by the Soul sound of “Permanent Midnight” as Big Shoes share secrets in “That’s What I Get (for Lovin’ You)”, advise “There’s Nothing You Can Do”, and offer philosophy on a slightly second line beat for “If the Blues Was Green”. (by Danny McCloskey)
Listen to Big Shoes on Spotify
Find more information and purchase options on the Big Shoes website
Clarence ‘Bluesman’ Davis (from the album Shake It for Me available on Music Maker Foundation, LLC) (By Danny McCloskey)
For the last half-century, Clarence ‘Bluesman’ Davis has curated the music of his homeland. Born in the Eutaw, Alabama to local sharecroppers, Clarence received a guitar a ten-years old, working the cotton fields so he could buy strings, and has never put the instrument down since. At 78-years old Clarence ‘Bluesman’ Davis releases his electric album, Shake It for Me. A one-man band, Clarence Davis augments his electric guitar work with a bass foot pedal, hard vocals, drums, harmonica, and the power of the music in a man’s soul. Shake It for Me is raw, honest, and authentic. To say that Clarence ‘Bluesman’ Davis is the real deal is limiting. The sound that tracked every story of Delta Blues is captured on Shake It for Me. A mighty stomp supports Clarence Davis when he vows “Not Your Fool”, trails a lazy rambling guitar riff through the personal story of “Born in the Country”, begins work early over a tangle of electric guitar strings in “Goosa Farm”, and persistently searches for “Hoochie Mama” on a gnarly groove. Shake It for Me cruises on a steady rhythm through its title track, pummels a rubbery beat into “Gotta Rock It” as Clarence ‘Bluesman’ Davis sings of “Facebook Blues” and deals a “Mojo Hand”. (by Danny McCloskey)
Listen to Clarence ‘Bluesman’ Davis on Spotify
Find more information and purchase options on Clarence ‘Bluesman’ Davis website
Big B and The Actual Proof (from the album The Noir Album available as a self-release) (by Danny McCloskey)
A dark symphony swirls, the soundswath revealing inner-siren and phantom gunshots as Big B and The Actual Proof enter “Wooden Kimono” on a sung-spoken speech. The track opens The Noir Album and, much like its fellow songs, hammers down the beat and paints the walls with the sweet sonic seduction of distortion. A wandering melody floats like a late-night mist under the story of “Horseshoes and Hand Grenades” as adrenalin fuels the caffeinated beat of “Five Hundred Large” while Big B and The Actual Proof nail a groove to “About to Get Evil” with hammering drums and guitar riffs. The Noir Album stage welcomes in an after-hours act in the rhythmic pattern of “Ben Franklin and the Number Five Combo” as it rolls out a mighty beat for “Red Carpet”, and introduces “God’s Lonely Man” while Big B and The Actual Proof provide cinematic wrapping for “Sitting on the Devil’s Lap” and discover midnight is prime time for viewing “Just Another Harlem Sunset”. (by Danny McCloskey)
Listen to Big B and The Actual Proof on Spotify
Find more information and purchase options on the Big B and The Actual Proof website
Tara Jeffrey (from the album Peachy Keen as a self-release) (by Danny McCloskey)
Deep resonating vocals weave the songs of Peachy Keen into a pattern of soulful Americana. The recent release from songmaker Tara Jeffrey uses her vocals as a not-so-secret advantage, creating an urgency for “Marcy”, sings a story of leaving on train-track beat with “Ruth”, boards a dream-like electric groove for “50 Behind”, floats on musical cloud telling the tale of “Other Girl”, and struts on a confident Rock’n’Roll rhythm for “Shiny Broken”. Peachy Keen is a short collection seeking a sequel, sending out a wish like the inspirational opening of the album when Tara Jeffrey offers advice with “Swimming”. (by Danny McCloskey)
Listen to Tara Jeffrey on Spotify
Find more information and purchase options on the Tara Jeffrey website
