Havana Rocks - Star - EP

 Frank Moulinex

Havana Rocks don't do Cuban, but if you require straight hard driving no nonsense rock music then these guys will fulfil your wishes and desires, and excuse me, with no disappointments. 

This 4 track Star - EP release begins life with Star, 'Wanna be one of those Rock 'n' Roll Star's' and with their sound you can see and hear them filling the stadiums of rock around the world.

Having a dig at the masses in, All You People, hey, why don't all the good people jump over to this side of the tracks.

Need revving and burning rubber, women, and living fast, ending up switching the switch of life now that's unfortunate and then last of all, Same Old, but on a different day, especially when it comes to ladies!

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Barbara Manning - Chico Daze - Album Review

Barbara Manning is a legend, and is often referred to as the Godmother of the good old fashion DIY scene.

Though Barbara Manning doesn't live a Rock 'n' Roll lifestyle these days, she was around in the late 1980s, which was a defining moment for punk, rock and the mixture of the two created Grunge!

Barbara Manning latest album Chico Daze is a solo effort of a collection of songs recorded between 2004 - 2009; as she had a backing band on past recordings called The Go Lucky's.

What to expect from Chico Daze is a combination of grunge-rock-punk of different volume levels, and a sweetness to her voice that doesn't scream or try to do anything other than convey the message of her songs.

The highlights of Chico Daze is the punk-rock driven two minute and a few seconds song I'm Running, though there are longer driven-rock tracks Island and Sweet Oblivion. Moments of Americana are displayed in How Did You Know and Better by Sounds. Getting slightly experimental on Ladies of the Sea and Wishes Don't Tie You Down featuring great guitar wah-wah licks, and the cheeky Slot Machine song that describes making-out! 

1. Don't Hold Back
2. Reverse Disguise
3. I'm Running
4. How Did You Know
5. Ladies of the Sea
6. Better by Sounds
7. Why, Why Won't You Love Me Back?
8. Slot Machine
9. Island
10. Sweet Oblivion
11. Tape You To A Star
12. Wishes Don't Tie You Down

Chico Daze is available through Bandcamp.

Laura Comfort - Little Wing - Single Review

Laura Comfort's latest release is the single - Little Wing.

When you cover songs especially one by iconic musician Jimi Hendrix you have to either get it spot on or make it your own.

The version Laura Comfort has recorded with the talented international rock guitarist Matt Backer has achieved both in their quest of perfection of Hendrix's song Little Wing, containing references of American Indian spiritual themes.

Little Wing is available at iTunes.

Rene Benton - Xpressions Too!!! [Shört Storeez ] - Album Review

Rene Benton album Xpressions Too!!! [Shört Storeez] is a mixture of rock, metal and acid-rock-jazz instrumental compositions.

Due to the fact that Rene Benton has served in the US military there are a few tracks that resemble his experiences starting with the first track Push Pull, which is a fairly aggressive piece of music. Then you have the following tracks East Meets West that has some Arabic musicial phrasing going on. The intro to Drone 3.3 has some electronic signals effects on the guitar to kind of simulate the starting of this electronic remote control aircraft, while the chugging of the rhythm guitar is part of the mission and the lead guitar is the drone flting effortlessly high-up through the sky. Green Light Go! has a great adrenaline rush feel, well how would you feel if you had to jump out of an aeroplane? Exactly. Well these are the tracks that has been drawn on his global travels with his fellow US Marines.

You the get tracks that have a different feel like Nation Of Struggle, which changes tempo, notes and style within the composition.



Getting into the space race of completely changing Mankind through computer technology is expressed in Clone Theory.

The next crop of tracks Part Of Me, This Is Life, Thingsz Happen and V.U.S are more free flowing compositions that burst with perfect fluency and you hear how refined Rene Benton is whether playing raw or neoclassical lead guitar and how he crafts his instrument around what he wants to convey through his music.

Are you going to live or die is the theme of Lyfe Support, with added effects of the heart machine beeping and ambulance coming to the rescue.

Open Air is the last track and finishes the album on a high note.

Xpressions Too!!! [Shört Storeez] is available @ CD Baby

Laura Comfort - Don't Ignore Me - Album Release

Laura Comfort has released Don't Ignore Me which in her own words is very personal resulting from a long relationship breaking-up. Bearing this in mind throughout the album Laura Comfort wants to experience her new found freedom and this is evident in the pop songs, Come Take A Ride, Cherry Lips and Take A Chance.

Majority of the tracks on Don't Ignore Me are pop rock numbers, and they quickly get you jivin' and leaving you in a good mood for the rest of the day.

Songs that reflect her new found liberty, but tells the story of things that have left an imprint on her is the ballad, It Hurts.

Quite clearly Before It's Too Late is a subject all of us will get to in our life, questioning ourselves and Laura's further reflective moments consumes the words in this track.

Addicted and I'm Going Crazy are electronic delights, the latter perfect for the hot summer days and disco floors.

Though Angelina Jolie wasn't written by Laura Comfort, the music kicks you into a bounce and the song deals with the fantasy of wanting to be someone else and to think Dame Angelina Jolie (high five to Great Britain) as she is now-known, that her lifestyle is full of glitz and glamour . But just to mention Dame Angelina Jolie has not only succeeded in her acting profession but the relentless campaigning on issues far removed from the comfort zone of America.

Many people can relate to the disco fusion song Was It Me. The questioning of why the other person didn't call-back, or want a relationship with you? The correct term would-be more commonly known as unrequited love.

If a woman gets confused with relationships then no wonder men get it wrong when it comes to the opposite sex, and Don't Ignore Me has good rhyming words that can make you smile if the lyrics hit home to you.

The finishing track Goodbye leaves you thinking whether Laura Comfort will return with another album, or is this it? Hope not. But that wouldn't be describing this haunting and delicate song about love lost and thinking about the past. The song can relate to broken friendships just as well as lovers falling out of love.

Seep Away - Seep Away - EP Review

Seep Away have released their self titled debut EP.

Though their sound is loud and full of distorted heavy metalist guitars and bass they have a certain attitude reminiscent of take this or die! 

The three tracks are different as Trudge hits the hardest meanest sound, you imagine you're stuck in a swamp with just a pair of oars and facing down the schnoz of an alligator, great! But it's a case of lock-up your wives or if you're rich enough your bitches, cos' these dogs are in town.

Two Wrongs Don't Make A Right has probably the longest instrumental intro with the lyrics starting at 1:58, into this southern slouch of a track.

Last up is Watch You Burn that has more underground grunge guitar that melts a common theme among the heavy metal scene.

Seep Away capture their raw no-nonsense sound well on their recordings, and you get a sense that if, when, and how you see them live they've got that reciprocal energy that you get just playing their music at home.

Seep Away is available @ Bandcamp 

Kodah - Forever - Single Review

Kodah have released a new single Forever.

The track is a slight throwback to the '90's grunge rock style of guitar music. The introduction has a nice chugging guitar rhythm that sets the beat and driving pattern for the song to enter, that deals with wanting to live forever.


Forever is available @ iTunes

Gus Garcia - Medieval - EP Review

Gus Garcia - Medieval EP release is a mixture of soft acoustic driven and lively songs that will last in your memory long after hearing these four tracks.

Clocks & Crocodiles is the first track, which is a lively and uptempo song dealing with not wasting time with tales of dreams.

Getting the more lively aspect to Gus Garcia's music begins in the second track Rhythm.

Showing the vocal talents of Gus Garcia is prevalent in this subtle track, Two for One.

Probably the best song on this EP is Medieval, a mixture of acoustic and soft rock elements that builds around the song.

The Sailor is a rather melancholy song that starts with a slow piano that goes through until it gets quite experimental with sounds reminiscent of the waves of the sea, and adds to the story and tales of the high seas.

Medieval is available @ CD Baby 

The Slang - Slang - EP Review

The Slang have released their debut self-titled EP, of power rock or an epic sound, with interestingly cool songs.

There is a certain '60's picking guitar style that introduces you to Far From Over, though it soon enters that anthem energy.

Whether you enjoy your job or not, it all Feels Like Work, yes listen and you'll understand what work is really about.

If you didn't know, you'll be enlightened in the effortless One Step At A Time.

Rule The World is quite an ambiguous song that will mean different things, which is pretty cool as it lets you see things the way you see them.

Those thoughts and feelings that need to be figured out in Find A Way, which has a great synth sounding lead guitar that puts the icing on the cake, on the finishing song.

The Slang EP is available @ iTunes

IRIS - Something To Live For - Album Release

IRIS have released their debut album Something To Live For.

These four members Adam, James, Ross, Rich are no ordinary band members, as there music is pretty fast and accurate alternative hard-rock.

The songs are positive and very grown-up for four young gentleman to be either writing about or perhaps worrying about. Well for the listeners & fans thank God they have & do. This album is very well put together.

Please don't let their talents be left under the hood, go and buy Something To Live For! Maybe just maybe, life may be worth living for, once again!

Something To Live For is available @ iTunes - Google Play - Amazon MP3

Exclusive Interview - The Attic Ends

www.theatticeends.com

Are you a bumblebee, or do you see yourselves as stargazers?

Half of us are are stargazers, and half of us are bumblebees, which keeps us balanced. You put a task in front of a bumblebee, they go from flower to flower getting it done. They can’t help it! That’s how they are programmed. But none of us are that short sighted. Stargazers live and breathe to make their dreams come true. When we are not flower hopping we are always looking-up.

Has the struggle to maintain and grow as individual and collective creative souls within the music scene any easier as time goes on?

It has definitely gotten easier. Once you are completely dedicated, which we all are, you can find your voice. As a group, we feel like we are just now finding our sound. We feed each others’ creative souls and foster each others growth by challenging each other and holding each other to task. We expect a lot from ourselves and having that support is what any creative soul needs to even be able to breathe in this crazy industry full of incredibly talented people and also so many charlatans. We need to trust each other to make sure we stay in the former category. 

What project are you currently working on?

We are about to shoot our next video for the title track of our first cd Home, which was released on iTunes in December ‘10. We have been rehearsing, gigging, and supporting Home. We are really excited about writing songs for our next record. All kinds of ideas are flowing and sneaking themselves into the rehearsal studio. We are blessed to be in a position where we have discovered our sound and new riffs, beats, and melodies are just flowing naturally. For all of us, that’s our favourite part of playing in a band and we are having a lot of fun with that right now.

How has this project been that you’re you are working on? Adventurous, heart-wrenching, soul-searching, glorifying, triumphant, nauseating, confirming, validating, terrifying, exciting... It runs the gamut of human emotions, there are sometimes tears and a lot of high-fives!

Is your world opening-up to more exciting things?

Hells Yeah!

Are you leaving your nest, to fly around the world with your band and music?

Yes. That’s all we ever wanted to do. We love New York. We love Brooklyn. But we want to go to places like London, where so much great music that we all love has come from! We hear so many great things about the scene in Europe and we are definitely up for the adventure.

What’s the biggest thing you’ve done as individuals and as a band?

We wrote and released a cd onto iTunes in less than a year. That cd has been accepted by Pandora, and we are very proud of that. We are about to shoot our third video as well. We feel our biggest accomplishment has been that we have done so much ourselves, as an indie band.

Anything else you would like to say to our readership?

Music is one of the most important things in human life. Music is emotion, and we hope our music can touch some people out there. We look at it as a privilege to be able to contribute music to people’s lives, and we take it very seriously. We hope we can inspire people and help them get through experience they are going through. We have always turned to music, listening and eventually creating it as an outlet for emotion in times of pain and joy. Sharing it is what connects us all. That may sound a little cheesy but nothing is truer!