Tag Archives: art rock

Rock On: Holiday Tunes and Winter Moods

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There’s a certain moodiness to some of the tunes on this month’s edition of Rock On! befitting the time of year. The weather has turned colder, the sun’s light has dimmed, and it’s a perfect time to go inward and reflect. There are quite a few songs here that will give you that opportunity, bookended by holiday cheer.

Of course, there are plenty of high-powered moments, as well. It wouldn’t be the Rock On! playlist if you couldn’t turn it up to 11.

Track listing:
The Mad Sugars – Christmas Wrapping
The Manic Boys and Girls Club – Blacked Out
Glamper – Back Chewer
Josh Gilligan – Anything
Aaron English ft. Francy Planet – Canada
Evan Kreutz – Dandelion
All Poets & Heroes – Dime A Dozen
Harley Olivia ft. Emily Bones – You’re Not Ready
Tell My Sons – Shot In The Dark
Fortunate Losers – Taste
Lips Speak Louder – Dog Days of Summer
Feral Minks – My Escapade
General Mojos ft. Marshall Law Band – change will come
floater. – Half-Life
Doc. Henry – Babyface
KJ Wild – Red Hot Magazine Girl
ROM COM ft. Eliza Harrison Smith – Call You Mine
westwell – Don’t Forget To Leave the Light On
Brother People ft. Bradley Rodermond – It’s a Brand New Day
Shattervox – Home for Christmas

LISTEN: Center Yourself with The Mighty Calm’s ‘Joy of Missing Out’

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Some prefer the bells and whistles that come with a long weekend. Others prefer to use the extra day as a time to rest and come back to center.

If the latter applies to you, then you’ll want to check out “Joy of Missing Out,” the latest instrumental cut from Portland, Maine’s The Mighty Calm. Written by guitarist Andrew LaVogue, this gentle summery tune has just one mission: to make you feel good.

“I had originally wrote this song as a solo guitar piece, but (drummer Jonathan Moore) and I got invited to perform on a local music video series called Between The Bins and we needed material,” LaVogue said. “So, he added drums to the song and we played it for the first time as a duo. When (bassist Alan Fernald) joined the band, he wrote the bassline, and then the song just started to sound huge.”

Take a moment before you spring back into action. Relish in the “Joy of Missing Out.”

LISTEN: On ‘Heart,’ The Atomic Age Cedes the Need for Control

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Moving forward in life can often mean learning to let go of all that we cannot control.

The Atomic Age offers an immersive soundtrack to that realization with his newest single, “Heart,” released on February 23.

“’Heart’ is a song about loosening my grip on my aspirations,” said The Atomic Age’s songsmith, JJ Schrick. “It’s so easy to white-knuckle goals like pursuing the things you love, but I’ve found that I’m most at peace when I’m not solely relying on my own abilities.”

“Heart” was constructed from the ground up, beginning with the drumbeat. The mellow rhythm guitar part was performed on a Bass VI, which combines with atmospheric elements to serve the track’s contemplative spirit.

If you’re looking for even more from The Atomic Age, you won’t have to wait long: “Heart” is the final single leading to an EP which is due out on March 20. For now, let this one resonate with you!

PREMIERE: The Mighty Calm Bring Us Sounds of Summer

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After the deep freeze we had this week in Nashville — seriously, this trash weather is absurd, even for my native Northeast in January — let’s give ourselves a chance to thaw out.

Fortunately for us, The Mighty Calm have just the thing to chase our winter blues away.

Titled “Boardwalks,” this hazy, sun-kissed surf rock instrumental will bring you the feeling of warmer days. The trio — consisting of percussionist Jonathan Moore, bassist Alan Fernald, and our good friend Andrew LaVogue on guitar — crafted “Boardwalks” to “feel like a sunny day at the beach, watching the surfers.”

“This song originated about a year ago when Jon and I were jamming on some ideas I had,” LaVogue said. “We worked out the kinks and then brought Alan on, who added a whole new layer to the song with his bass part.”

Don’t worry; summer will be here soon. In the meantime, take a stroll on these “Boardwalks.”

Ralph’s Reviews: Demi the Daredevil’s 2018 At-A-Glance

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Austin, TX-based musician Jeff Azar released three new singles under cinematic rock project Demi the Daredevil this year, giving a deep, introspective look at mental health; a subject many of us shy away from, and that few of us even care to acknowledge.

But, with the growing awareness of mental health issues and the toll they can take on our lives, Jeff’s message that needs to be heard loud and clear. And so, Jeff chooses to spread that message through the kind of music that grabs and holds your attention, due to both subject matter and quality.

“America Anonymous” leaves us to examine the choice our demons present us with, beginning with the words, “There’s a beast in me” and resolving, “I can kill it with a quick fix, or use it creatively.” “Lone Lady” looks outside of the self, as the protagonist seems more focused on helping someone else deal with their demons instead of focusing on his own.

A particularly powerful moment lies in the subtext of “Ain’t it Tragic,” which copes with unexpected loss and finishing something that was started as a team, alone. I can only speculate that it’s about the passing of the band’s primary songwriter and frontman, Jovan Ortiz, which left Jeff to finish the vocals on their first release.

There’s much more you can learn about Jeff Azar and Demi the Daredevil by visiting the band online or on Facebook. You can also listen to a sampling of the band’s best tunes below via Spotify.