by Shannon Smith

This summer, country music fans were treated to a compelling new release by Christian Hayes, a rising star from Rome, Georgia. His single, “Cheyenne,” stands out in the summer heat in the country music landscape.

Hayes, known as “The Lullaby Kid” due to his ability to blend raw emotion with soothing melodies, brings an authenticity to his music that resonates with listeners. His songwriting, honed since childhood, draws from experiences of love, loss, and longing. Each section of “Cheyenne” feels like a diary entry, with Hayes inviting listeners to share in his [...]

by Steven Miller

Jesus Molina is a 27-year-old prodigious talent from Sincelejo, Colombia, who has established himself as a force in the jazz world. A Berklee College of Music alumnus and Latin Grammy Cultural Foundation award winner, Molina’s multifaceted musicianship spans piano, keyboards, soprano saxophone, and vocals. His latest album, Selah, released on May 24, 2024, under Dynamo Productions, is a spiritual and musical journey that brings listeners into a realm where jazz fusion meets divine inspiration.

Selah, a term derived from Hebrew, often interpreted as “praise” or “lift,” is the perfect title for [...]

by Steven Miller

Alexandra Dariescu, a Romanian pianist renowned for her technical skill and innovative programming, has released an album featuring the piano concertos of Clara Schumann and Edvard Grieg. Clara Schumann and Edvard Grieg Piano Concertos, released under the Signum label, present a fresh take on these classical masterpieces, offering a blend of youthful exuberance and deep emotional resonance that mirrors Dariescu’s artistic journey.

Dariescu’s choice to feature Clara Schumann’s Piano Concerto is particularly compelling. Composed when Schumann was still a teenager, [...]

by Shannon Smith

Montréal’s Kee Avil, known for her intricate blend of avant-pop, post-industrial sensibilities, and experimental folk, returns with her sophomore album, Spine. This record, a follow-up to her critically acclaimed debut, Crease, presents a fascinating evolution in her sonic landscape, offering listeners a raw, stripped-back experience that still pulses with her signature intensity. Where Crease was a labyrinthine journey through dense, gothic atmospheres, Spine focuses on the tension between simplicity and complexity, human frailty and machine precision.

Spine unfolds as an exercise in controlled minimalism, with each track [...]

by Steven Miller

Since hitting the rock scene in the 80s with the band Guns N’ Roses, Slash’s guitar work has always been synonymous with a particular kind of raw, unfiltered energy—a tone that straddles the line between controlled aggression and melodic eloquence. With Orgy of the Damned, his latest offering, Slash steps away from the high-energy terrain of hard rock and dives headfirst into the rich, muddy waters of the blues. Released on May 17, 2024, under Gibson Records and Sony Music, this album is a collection of classic covers; it’s a homage to the genre that lies at the very foundation of rock ‘n’ [...]

by Steven Miller

Nic Vardanega’s New Beginning is a solid project by an Australian-born guitarist and composer, now a seasoned New Yorker. The album consists of eight of his compositions that explores personal and universal themes of renewal and growth. Performed as a trio with Ben Allison on bass and Allan Mednard on drums, Vardanega’s third album delves into the essence of guitar, bass, and drum trios, a format that has long inspired him.

The album opens with the title track, a vibrant piece that showcases Vardanega’s adept melodic lines and intricate chordal structures. The Latin-infused rhythms and rich textures [...]