Boogie Woogie Roots Rock that will keep you dancin'
The Boleys play a stellar set of Psychedelic Rock at Texas Indie Fest
The loudest singer/songwriter in New Orleans, LA does not disappoint with her latest single. It flat out rocks and Jamie Lynn Vessels is a vocal powerhouse
During these tumultuous and difficult times we are thrilled to release the melodic and hauntingly good Brent Byrd single “Shine a Light”. The lyrics are on point and this song embodies a cry out for love. Maybe that is exactly what the world needs now: love. Let the music soothe our souls.
Surreal Nation is a five-piece, female fronted, indie rock band from the Philadelphia area.
Surreal Nation is a Female-Fronted Masterpiece
by Yvonne Glasgow https://beat.media/surreal-nation-is-a-female-fronted-masterpiece
Surreal Nation is a group of indie rockers from Delaware that made the transition from folk duo to full band and managed to keep an amazing sound, which has a lot to do with their spectacular singer. Some musical duos stay duos forever, but Nikki Nation and Paul Joseph decided they wanted to fill out their sound. They did this by turning their duo into a five-piece band.
Joseph is the guitar player for the group, while Nation is the amazing vocalist that lends her powerful chords to all of these amazing songs. It took them a few years to “grow” the perfect band, to find the right pieces that would create the musical sound they were striving for. They did that with the addition of Jackson Vari on lead guitar, Kevin Curry on bass, and Gene Nelson on drums.
Their upcoming EP, I Know Better, is available for pre-order right now through their website. Why should you care? Because this is bound to be one of the most talked about indie albums of the year. This isn’t their first EP, but it’s the first I’ve heard and I’m head over heels for it.
"Would You Do Me The Honor Of Becoming My Mexican Divorce" is the first song on this EP. I was intrigued from the moment I read that name. For one thing, it’s like one of the longest song titles I’ve ever seen. Long or not, this song starts the album off on a great note. Nation’s vocals are absolutely amazing, throughout the EP, but this was my first opportunity to hear them and be utterly impressed. Not only do they have a powerful female lead, but she is backed by a group of extremely talented musicians that create a full sound to keep you focused on these songs as they play.
“I Know Better” is full of amazing lines in the lyrics. I especially loved, “I know better than to open the door and let you walk back in.” Been there before. I noticed it in the first song and it continues into this one that this album has a rich southern feel to it. In some strange way, it reminds me of The Refreshments Fizzy Fuzzy Big & Buzzy, an album that has held up well over the years (in my opinion).
“I Can Feel The Night” has a pop sensibility that makes it a really fun and pleasant song. The lyrics seem to reflect on life and how we grow. This one steps away from the vibe of the first two songs but remains a great track. It allows you to see that this band has a talent for creating songs that can stand alone and fit various genres.
“Hangtime” started and I thought my phone was ringing. Tricky tricky. Post “Hello,” the song has a tinkering light beat leading into some delicate guitar before the mellow lyrics kick in. I like Nation’s smokier vocals on this song. The change in her sound makes this my favorite song on this album.
“Spirit Is Silent” finishes everything off with another slower rhythm song and some lighter vocals from Nation. This song has a lot of feeling in the vocals that almost brought me to tears. It’s a beautifully done sad love song. “My spirit has gone silent in the absence of you.”
Whether they’re making love songs, pop songs, or simply sticking to an alternative rock sound, Surreal Nation has a sound worth talking about. Well written lyrics and a talented set of musicians, and Nation’s amazing pipes come together to create something special.
Recorded live at the 2018 Texas Indie Fest. Alt rockers Tough On Friday really do an amazing job playing live
The Texas-based duo Tough On Fridays are set to release their EP ‘Live At Texas Indie Fest’ and it is a thoroughly enjoyable listen.
From the beginning to the end, ‘Live At Texas Indie Fest’ is unapologetically filled with driving guitars, formidable drums and a vocal performance which is pop-punk at its finest. Reminiscent of 90’s/00’s pop-punk, Tough On Fridays are reinventing the genre for 2018 and are doing a wonderful job!
We very much enjoyed the opening song, ’Retrospect’ as it features a drum opening followed by a catchy electric guitar. The vocals are warm and inviting with gorgeous tones in them. Melodic in their delivery it is the vocals which add to the catchy feel of the song. The track is driven by the percussion and bass with a relatable feel throughout. There is a brilliant part where all of the instrumentation cuts away and the listener is left with just the bass and vocals. This is a nice touch as it is not what is expected but the surprise works beautifully.
Our favourite song on the EP is ‘Little Italy’. It features scratchy guitars with a descending chordal pattern. The song is infectious and will have you reaching for the repeat button. Destined to be a hit single, ‘Little Italy’ is a complete singalong song. There are beautiful cadences in the vocals and the addition of a tempo change is another unexpected turn. There is sparse instrumentation for the 3rd verse which paves way for the familiar slide guitar to be the foundation to which everything is built around again.
Comprised of friends Katie (Vocals, Bass, Guitars) and Caleigh (Vocals, Guitars) they have been friends since elementary school, and this bond is translated through the music. Their performances are tight and they are clearly well polished and know each other’s musical styles inside out.
So fill your should with classic music this Christmas and check out Tough On Fridays, ’Live At Texas Indie Fest’. You will not be disappointed!
Reviewed by FVReviews December 2018
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Fret Highway played a smoking set at Texas Indie Fest 2018...Check out the great tunes
