AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: THE STRUMBELLAS/RATTLESNAKE

Pop music is a strangely wonderful artform. On the surface, it can sound deceptively simple and carefree. However, like a calm and inviting ocean, mystery lies beneath the windswept ripples. The melodies may dance around in the ether but there are a lot of moving parts that make them seem effortless. Every beat, every bass thump, every electronic whirl, every guitar strum, and every harmony is there for a reason. It is up to you, the listener, to realize what that reason is. Yes, you can read interviews and find out what the artists’ intents are but often times, they don’t fully realize the meaning of their songs until years later. On the other hand, one song can mean something different to nearly every person that listens to it. And that, in and of itself, is one of the great mysteries of Pop music. […]

By | March 29th, 2019|News|Comments Off on AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: THE STRUMBELLAS/RATTLESNAKE

AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: REIGNWOLF/HEAR ME OUT

Thanks to American Idol, The Voice and other like-minded TV shows plus the influence of YouTube, it is perfectly understandable that kids today think that the path to a successful musical career is easy and that nearly anyone can be a star overnight. However, reality paints a darker picture. It is often overlooked that nearly 90% of all TV talent show winners end up without a hit record to their name and they fade away into obscurity almost as quickly as they rose to fame. On the other hand, there are still plenty of modern artists who have toiled in relative obscurity for years before becoming ‘overnight sensations’. While not exactly obscure, indie Blues/Rock outfit Reignwolf has taken the long road and is finally releasing their debut album seven years after the band first formed. […]

By | March 15th, 2019|News|Comments Off on AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: REIGNWOLF/HEAR ME OUT

AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: THE KENTUCKY HEADHUNTERS/LIVE AT THE RAMBLIN’ MAN FAIR

Although their name might imply that they may be a Country or Southern Rock band, The Kentucky Headhunters defy categorization. Their sweaty, chest-pounding sound has it’s roots in classic Rock ‘n’ Roll, Country & Western, Blues, and R&B and sounds great in a beer-stained Country roadhouse, a dusty and dry Summer Bluesfest, and in the comfort of your own home. The Kentucky Headhunters play music that sounds like it was grown and harvested deep in the heart of America. The band never plays it safe and always comes out swinging. They are rowdy, rough, and rockin’… and not necessarily in that order. The Kentucky Headhunters are fearless at what they do. And no matter what you call it, The Kentucky Headhunters do it very well. […]

By | January 11th, 2019|News|Comments Off on AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: THE KENTUCKY HEADHUNTERS/LIVE AT THE RAMBLIN’ MAN FAIR

AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: THE BOTTLE ROCKETS/BIT LOGIC

So, what do you do if you create music that is completely in step with what should be popular but is apparently out of step with what is actually popular? Playing great music that reaches a specific audience is definitely admirable but it can be frustrating – for the band and their fans – if a talented act continually releases outstanding albums that don’t immediately race to the top of the charts. Sadly, this type of situation is quite common. For example, for nearly 30 years, St. Louis’ The Bottle Rockets have released a series of albums that embrace the heart of American music while reinterpreting it in fresh, new ways. BIT LOGIC is their 13th album and might be the album that finally connects them with a larger audience. […]

By | October 12th, 2018|News|Comments Off on AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: THE BOTTLE ROCKETS/BIT LOGIC

AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: AMY RAY/HOLLER

Amy Ray is best known as one-half of Indigo Girls, the Grammy-winning Folk duo she formed with Emily Saliers. Formed in 1985, the duo released an EP before signing with Epic Records and becoming one of the most popular Folk-Rock duos of all time. Although they have remained active for over three decades, Amy would use her downtime between projects to follow her own path. Beginning with her 2001 solo debut, STAG, Amy has pursued a slightly different path than that of Indigo Girls. Her voice may be instantly identifiable but her solo releases tend to travel down different musical paths that eventually converge onto the same road that she travels down with Indigo Girls. HOLLER, her 2018 album, is no exception… […]

By | September 28th, 2018|News|Comments Off on AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: AMY RAY/HOLLER

AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: STEVE FORBERT/THE MAGIC TREE

Forty years since the release of his debut album, ALIVE ON ARRIVAL, Steve Forbert remains one of the most honest and warm singer/songwriters in Folk, Rock and Americana. Unfairly declared ‘the new Dylan’ for a brief moment in the ‘70s thanks to that debut, Forbert proved himself to be more than just a guy strumming an acoustic guitar at the front of the stage. His hit single “Romeo’s Tune” (1979) became a Top 40 hit thanks to Forbert’s earnest performance, great songwriting and that incessant piano riff. But Forbert was not one to crank out formulaic Pop or Folk – he was always moving forward while still paying tribute to his past. With more than two dozen studio, live, and fan-club albums in his back pocket, Steve Forbert still remains a songwriter that finds inspiration in the every day. His Mississippi soul may have moved to New Jersey but this is one cat that understands and connects with every inch of America. […]

By | September 14th, 2018|News|Comments Off on AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: STEVE FORBERT/THE MAGIC TREE

AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: MIKE FARRIS/SILVER & STONE

There’s just something about Soul music. It has a different effect on every listener. Where one person can hear joy and jubilation, another may sense a feeling of loss and sadness while listening to the very same recording. The listener’s differing opinions revolve around just how deeply they immerse themselves in the music. On the surface, Soul and R&B is engaging and powerful but once you allow yourself to be surrounded by the music, you feel the emotional depth and intensity that went into creating the music. Mike Farris’ SILVER & STONE album is one of those releases that shows both sides at the same time, offering up layers of powerful music that is both engaging and engrossing. […]

By | September 7th, 2018|News|Comments Off on AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: MIKE FARRIS/SILVER & STONE

AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: JEFF LORBER FUSION/IMPACT

According to Wikipedia, Jazz Fusion is “a musical genre that developed in the late 1960s when musicians combined jazz harmony and improvisation with Rock music, Funk, and Rhythm & Blues.” During the ‘70s, Fusion was often looked upon as music for ‘sophisticated’ listeners. Artists like Miles Davis, Weather Report, and Return To Forever sold plenty of records but seldom would you hear their music played in restaurants or department stores. However, by the end of the ‘70s, a change was a-comin’. Fusion was always a fluid genre so when certain artists began to take it in new directions, new ‘genres’ were born. Jazz Rock, Jazz Funk and Smooth Jazz were three of the most popular subgenres that emerged from Fusion’s womb. And this is where The Jeff Lorber Fusion (JLF) comes in… […]

By | August 17th, 2018|News, Uncategorized|Comments Off on AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: JEFF LORBER FUSION/IMPACT

the innocence mission: An EXCLUSIVE Q&A with Karen and Don Peris!

SPAZ: When writing an album like SUN ON THE SQUARE, do you tend to let the compositions flow naturally and reveal the album’s direction over time? Or do you have a preconceived idea on where you want the album to head, musically? KAREN PERIS: We don’t usually have a plan, especially in regards to writing songs. So many songs, for me, begin and then fall away. So, an album builds slowly out of the songs we remain close to after a period of time. […]

By | July 11th, 2018|News|Comments Off on the innocence mission: An EXCLUSIVE Q&A with Karen and Don Peris!

AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: SONS OF BILL/OH GOD MA’AM

It has been four years since Americana outfit Sons Of Bill released LOVE & LOGIC but the band have not been idle. This quintet – led by brothers Sam, Abe, and James Wilson – remained on the road, promoting their own brand of heartfelt heartland rock. However, touring wasn’t the only thing that slowed them down. The boys in the band took off a little time for themselves, too. Oh, and then there’s that little accident that James Wilson had – a fall on a champagne glass severed five tendons and the median nerve in his right hand. While this is definitely not a good thing for a guitarist to experience, it also hindered his ability to drive, dress himself, and other simple tasks we all take for granted. Thankfully, you can’t keep a good man down… […]

By | July 6th, 2018|News|Comments Off on AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: SONS OF BILL/OH GOD MA’AM