Chrissie Romano Band ‘Photo’ Self-released chrissieromano.com Chrissie Romano’s voice rings out clarion-clear over her band’s smooth groove on the new album “Photo.” She doesn’t waste any time shouldering her unplugged guitar and getting to the heartbreak at the heart of it all. That’s not to say that Romano is just a young woman with a […]
Singer-songwriter
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Interview: Charles Emanuel
Charles Emanuel has a knack for smooth melodies. He draws from coffeehouse genres, often writing introspective ear-pleasers that are pretty much impossible to dislike.
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Album review: ‘None of the Above’
Sharon Coates ‘None of the Above’ Self-released sharoncoatesmusic.com There’s a bit of a dichotomy going on with Sharon Coates’ new and third CD. To reference Monk, it’s full of ugly beauty. Coates has a beautiful, almost sorrowful voice, which when paired with her backing band’s rugged support, is evenmore soft and lonely. This is especially […]
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The F Word: I Scene It – Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
In the blessed trinity of Waits, Cohen, and Cave, Nick Cave is by far the darkest. There was some murmuring concern that Cave’s intimate intensity might get swallowed up in Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena. It turned out to be unfounded.
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Album review: ‘Harmonium’
Archimedes ‘Harmonium’ Self-released archimedesband.bandcamp.com Archimedes’ new CD “Harmonium” unfolds like little dreams that are anchored in plaintive delivery. Listen as the acoustic guitar swirls in a circular cadence, weaving a tapestry throughout the casually shared harmony like smoke wafting from an inviting campfire. It’s like a preamble to a madrigal, a requiem for a dream. […]
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Album review: ‘Peachy Keen’
Roselove ‘Peachy Keen’ Self-released roselove.bandcamp.com If art were supposed to be perfect and polished, the young and inspired would hit snooze instead of making it, and beautiful albums like Roselove’s “Peachy Keen” would never exist. Rose Love, a rising voice in Rochester music, will release the collection on October 13, and it’s an unbending work […]
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Album review: ‘The Great Mundane’
Alex Northrup “The Great Mundane” Proof That the Seacow Exists! Records alexnorthrup.bandcamp.com Though songwriter Alex Northrup released “The Great Mundane” back in 2017, it hasn’t seen much light-of-day until now, with the emergence of the Jon Lewis Band keyboardist as frontman of the newly formed band Alex Northrup and The Backup. There is an earnest […]
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Album review: ‘Better Places’
Jesse Sprinkle “Better Places” Bluebrick Recordings jessesprinkle.bandcamp.com It’s been a while since we’ve heard any solo material from the multifaceted multi-instrumentalist Jesse Sprinkle. Thankfully, the man is back with a new record, “Better Places,” and its 17 tracks of modest joy. Sprinkle reveals his melodic thesis early on — track five to be exact — […]
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Christine Lavin goes everywhere and meets everyone
Christine Lavin is a wonder. The 65-year-old singer-songwriter’s performances are fresh and interactive, and whether she’s playing the coffee house circuit, a festival, or rocking out on the front porch of her sister’s house in the Highland Park neighborhood, Lavin sandwiches her shows in between rounds of knitting and fancy napkin folding with her fans. […]
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Lisa Winter fills her music with honesty
Lisa Winter’s songs are like little prayers sent up on gossamer wings. They’re lyrically impactful yet melodically gentle. The Rochester singer-songwriter is a compelling performer in her raw simplicity that’s seemingly couched in a pervading melancholy. The music shines regardless; you can blame it on her voice — a voice that comes off coquettish but […]
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ALBUM REVIEW: “Strange World”
Sharon Coates “Strange World” Self-released sharoncoates.bandcamp.com Some artistic types have an itch to express what’s inside with whatever is their chosen medium. Sharon Coates must have a rash as she requires multiple disciplines: musician, glass artist, landscape artist. Her new CD, “Strange World,” is kind of a landscaped affair with its big room and bigger […]
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ALBUM REVIEW: “Between The Lakes”
Justin Roeland “Between The Lakes” Self-released roeland.bandcamp.com Songwriter Justin Roeland’s music bridges the cracks between genres as if they were the proverbial lakes mentioned in the title of his new album. There is an overall beauty that runs throughout “Between The Lakes,” with the opening track thoughtfully assailing ears while sounding like The Byrds when […]
