Traveling a path that has led him from his native Virginia, to NYC and Los Angeles, singer/songwriter Sharif (Myspace / Official) has honed his skills as an emotive performer that sheds all inhibitions with the vulnerable and excellent slice of pop, Kisses & Lies. The artist known as Sharif, tip-toes a fine line between saccharine […]
Clem Snide – Meat of Life
I was thrilled when word came that Eef Barzelay was getting the Clem Snide (Official / Myspace) gang back together in 2009, after a break of a few years. While Barzelay’s solo work is solid, it just didn’t have the same zip that I have always recognized in the earlier Clem Snide albums. “Moment in […]
Rich McCulley – Starting All Over Again
Rich McCulley’s (Official / Myspace) 4th album, Starting All Over Again wastes no time in establishing its identity as a catchy pop-rock record that twangs in just the right spots and even reflects without moping. “Tell Me, I’m Listening”, “Dreams Tonight” and “The Last Song” open the album with a steady tempo that rocks along […]
The .357 String Band – Lightning From The North
Musical fads are a double-edged sword…or are they a blessing and a curse? Either way, with each new “movement”, whether it be Texas/Red Dirt or Freak-Folk or whatever, we see an influx of artists that, thanks to the artists who initially drew the attention of the masses to a certain trendy style, get to bask […]
New Texas Tornados!
I can’t think of a better way to end this week than to help spread the news on a new release from none other than the Texas Tornados. You will be hard pressed to come up with a band that is more representative of what many consider to be true “Texas Music”. Esta Bueno (Bismeaux […]
The Texas Sapphires – As He Wanders
For a guy from Dallas, I will admit to feeling pretty lucky about the great music I have available to me throughout the Dallas, Ft. Worth and Denton area, no doubt. I will also admit that I sometimes get twinges of jealousy of the music lovers in my state’s capitol. Austin is obviously home to […]
Quiet Life – California Vacation
I came across a few tracks from Quiet Life (Myspace) a while back. I really enjoyed them and looked forward to hearing more sometime. Well, that time has come with the release of their newest EP, California Vacation. As with the last batch of songs I listened to, the tracks here are a fun and […]
Kelly’s Top 25 for 2009
In year’s past, I haven’t done much a personal “Best-Of” list at year’s end. I have left that up to others, mainly due to the stress level inherent with such a task. This year, I contributed a list to multiple outlets, so I figure I would share my ballot with you here. What you see […]
Collin Herring – Ocho
Singer/Songwriter Collin Herring (Official / Myspace) has spent years living in Ft. Worth, California and Austin where he has played clubs and garnered a good bit of praise from his peers as a thoughtful, insightful artist. He has also spent a good bit of time in rehab and suffering through a divorce, experiences that has […]
Joe Koenig – Somethin’ Concrete
Mellow can often mean bland, but it can also be deceiving. The heartfelt sincerity of Somethin’ Concrete by Joe Koenig (Official / Myspace) comes through in a mellow flow that is soulful, not shallow. The Californian considers his folk-rock/country/gospel hybrid to be a Texan form of soul. Such a description is appropriate, as Koenig spent […]