Odds and Ends

Each week I use this space to post some mini-reviews, cool tracks, random thoughts, neat news, or whatever else I damn well please.

MiniReview


Paul Starling “All of My Heart” (single) – At the moment, there is only a single that has been released by Paul Starling (SideBMusic), but it is a very promising indication of things to come on his new collection entitled “Shipwrecked Commotion”. His dazzling single, “All Of My Heart” is a perfect beach tune…upbeat, radiant, sunny. Following in the tradition of power pop luminaries like Brian Wilson, Starling crafts a sugary melodic around warm and fuzzy lyrics. You just can’t help feeling a little lighter while listening to “All of My Heart” – check it out below.

All Of My Heart - Paul Starling by SideBMusic

Paul Starling writes and records original songs in the Ventura County area of California. He plays guitar, bass, drums, piano, banjo, ukulele and other instruments. Known for a 60s vibe with a modern twist, Paul Starling creates what he calls ‘nautical pop’. Music to sail to. Float to. Skip rocks over the Pacific to. To keep up with the latest from Paul Starling, find him on Facebook.

Surprise of the week
Remember Ugly Kid Joe (of “I Hate Everything About You” fame)? They’ve got a comeback album in the works, their first since 1995’s “Motel California”. Read all about it here.

News
Finally some new Shinedown is on the horizon. Details here.

Carolina Liar is back with a new single called “Drown” from their forthcoming new album “Wild Blessed Freedom” Details here.

The “Is rock dead?” debate continues. Queensrÿche frontman Geoff Tate sees a pretty gloomy future for rock bands, unless they can adapt to new ways of doing things. Read his interesting ideas on how rock can keep moving here.

Last week we announced the return of Bush (the band, thankfully). This week you can hear their comeback single, “The Sound Of Winter”. Perfect tune to release in the middle of a heat wave, right? The song doesn’t do much for me, but maybe you’ll dig it. Check it out here.

Random iPOD song of the week
A terrific lesser-known tune from Olivia Newton-John – “A Little More Love” from 1978.

Odds and Ends

Each week I use this space to post some mini-reviews, cool tracks, random thoughts, neat news, or whatever else I damn well please.

MiniReview
28 Days of Joy “Are We Ghosts” EP (2011) – A neat little EP of sweeping pop and light rock from Rob Bowden, who is 28 Days of Joy. The four songs gracing this EP constitute a “manifesto on the nature of love and being in the 21st Century. Key track here is “Broken Bones”, a wonderful piece that slowly builds to a rewarding climax. “Bruising” was co-written with Matt Hales for you fans of Aqualung. Check it out if you like Snow Patrol or Coldplay.

Free album download
L.A. indie band Lowlight have released their full-length album, “A Wonderful Lie” completely FREE for music fans. Its atmospheric pop with a bit of country twang scattered here and there. Their music is off the beaten path and not always palatable, but clearly original and inventive.
Free album download here.
Check out their award winning music video here.
Band website: ilovelowlight.com

Surprise of the week
John Lennon’s handwritten lyrics for The Beatles’ 1967 song “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” have been sold at auction for more than $237,000 in Los Angeles, according to Spinner.com.

News
Queensryche mark their 30th anniversary with the release their 12th studio album, “Dedicated To Chaos,” on June 28. "It's kind of like an 'Empire' record set 25 years in the future,” singer Geoff Tate recently told Paul Anthony of U.K.’s Rock Radio. “It's a very listenable record, I think. (read full story here).

Listenable? That is the best adjective you can come up with to describe your new album?! I have my fingers crossed, Mr. Tate, because mostly everything since “Empire” has been pretty unlistenable (save some tracks off “Hear In The Now Frontier”.

By the way, did you ever wonder how Queensryche got their name? Read about it here.

Random iPOD song of the weekPoison “Until You Suffer Some (Fire and Ice)” off their under-appreciated “Native Tongue” album. Features lots of Bobby blowing smoke and some terrific harmonies.