AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: M. WARD/SUPERNATURAL THING

Matthew Ward is a Portland, Oregon-based singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist better known by his stage name M. Ward. He remains an artist that is hard to pigeonhole. Is he Indie Rock? Folk? Americana? Alt-Country? Perhaps he is all of them… and more. In all honesty, your opinion may change depending on what album or single you are listening to at the moment. And it may also depend on whether you are listening to one of [...]

By | June 23rd, 2023|Uncategorized|Comments Off on AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: M. WARD/SUPERNATURAL THING

AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: ALFA MIST/VARIABLES

Born Alfa Sekitoleko, the London, England-based musician / producer / songwriter / MC is better known by his stage name, Alfa Mist. Initially, he had his sights set on becoming a professional footballer but became interested in music while attending school. He became a teenage Hip-Hop producer and while seeking samples to incorporate into his own music, he discovered Jazz music. He then began mixing his love of Jazz improvisation with Hip-Hop and modern Dance [...]

By | April 24th, 2023|News, Uncategorized|Comments Off on AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: ALFA MIST/VARIABLES

AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: FLEET FOXES/A VERY LONELY SOLSTICE

Formed in 2006 by Robin Pecknold (lead vocals/guitar), Skyler Skjelset (guitar/mandolin), and Casey Wescott (keyboards/mandolin) alongside rhythm section Bryn Lunsden (soon replaced by Craig Curran) and drummer Nicholas Peterson (replaced by Josh Tillman in 2008), Fleet Foxes’ unique blend of Indie Folk, Chamber Pop, and Americana caught the attention of critics and audiences alike when they began releasing their music via social media (anyone remember MySpace?) shortly after their formation. By the release of their [...]

By | July 1st, 2022|News, Uncategorized|Comments Off on AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: FLEET FOXES/A VERY LONELY SOLSTICE

AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: LITTLE SIMZ/SOMETIMES I MIGHT BE INTROVERT

Born in London, England in February 1994, rapper, singer, and actress Simbiatu Abisola Abiola Ajikawo is better known by her stage name Little Simz. Born to Nigerian parents, Little Simz attended Highbury Fields School in London before attending St Mary's Youth Club in Upper Street, Islington. After studying at Westminster Kingsway College, she chose to pursue a career in music. Her first steps towards her successful hip-hop career began in 2010 when she released her [...]

By | September 3rd, 2021|Uncategorized|Comments Off on AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: LITTLE SIMZ/SOMETIMES I MIGHT BE INTROVERT

AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: AMERIKINDA: 20 YEARS OF DUALTONE

Founded in 2001 by Scott Robinson and Dan Herrington, Dualtone Records is a Nashville, Tennessee-based label that has released over 200 albums and earned more than 12 million sales in the process. With 16 Grammy Award nominations (and a total of four wins… so far), the label has proven that it is not your average independent record company. Dualtone has continued to be one of the most respected and successful labels in the folk and [...]

By | August 10th, 2021|Uncategorized|Comments Off on AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: AMERIKINDA: 20 YEARS OF DUALTONE

AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: CHAI/WINK

Chai is a Japanese quartet comprised of twin sisters Mana (vocals/keyboards) and Kana (guitar) plus bassist/lyricist Yuuki and drummer Yuna. Formed in Nagoya in 2012, the group’s name was, in fact, inspired by the popular Russian tea. The four musicians came together to create music that would exist outside of the formulaic J-Pop music that infiltrated the charts. Their own musical tastes were drawn towards experimental Pop and Hip-Hop and they embraced a style that [...]

By | May 21st, 2021|News, Uncategorized|Comments Off on AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: CHAI/WINK

AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: BOB MOULD/BLUE HEARTS

Forty years ago, a Rock artist’s longevity was not something that was guaranteed. The first Rock ‘n’ Roll boom of the ‘50s had been swallowed by the late ‘50s/early ‘60s teen idols. Then those heart throbs were dethroned by the British Invasion. That joyful racket was overcome by the Summer Of Love/Hippy scene of 1967. And so on… The new kids would replace the old guard, who would then reluctantly slip into the shadows and [...]

By | September 25th, 2020|Uncategorized|Comments Off on AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: BOB MOULD/BLUE HEARTS

AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: ALEXANDRA SAVIOR/THE ARCHER

Sometimes, an artist can just waltz into the music business and achieve massive commercial success within a year or two of their first recording session. That, however, is a rare occurrence. In all actuality, it can often take years of disappointment, detours, and mistakes before forward motion is achieved. Even then, commercial success isn’t guaranteed. The journey always begins with talent but luck is also a big part of the equation. The road to stardom is littered with true talents that have never caught a lucky break. Thankfully, Alexandra Savior made it through successfully, albeit with a few bumps in the road… […]

By | January 10th, 2020|Uncategorized|Comments Off on AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: ALEXANDRA SAVIOR/THE ARCHER

AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: EDDIE MONEY/TAKE ME HOME TONIGHT: THE BEST OF…

In the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, Eddie Money was one of the biggest Rock stars in America. His singles were on constant rotation on AM radio stations and his album tracks received plenty of spins on the FM dial. The Pop kids dug him but the AOR/Classic Rock fans took him as their own. With hits like “Two Tickets To Paradise”, “Baby Hold On”, “Shakin’”, “Think I’m In Love”, and “Take Me Home Tonight”, Eddie created an impressive catalog of Rock and Pop gems that are still being played on terrestrial and satellite radio stations. Some think of him as a ‘singles’ artist but his fans know that Eddie’s albums were solid, filled with great songs and even better performances. […]

By | January 3rd, 2020|Uncategorized|Comments Off on AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: EDDIE MONEY/TAKE ME HOME TONIGHT: THE BEST OF…

AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: TERENCE BLANCHARD/HARRIET (ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK)

While not billed as a ‘super hero’ movie, HARRIET most certainly deserves that designation. Based on the life of slave-turned-abolitionist Harriet Tubman, the movie tells the story of a woman whose courage, ingenuity, and tenacity freed hundreds of slaves and changed the course of history. Directed by Kasi Lemmons, who wrote the screenplay with Gregory Allen Howard, HARRIET stars Cynthia Erivo as Tubman alongside Leslie Odom Jr., Joe Alwyn, and Janelle Monáe. A film about Tubman has been rumored in Hollywood for years and has now finally made its way to the big screen. […]

By | November 22nd, 2019|Uncategorized|Comments Off on AMPED™ FEATURED ALBUM OF THE WEEK: TERENCE BLANCHARD/HARRIET (ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK)