Whiskey Six

The proverbial “they” have been known to make the claim that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. While that may be true in some areas of life, I’m not sure if it’s true for music.

Of course, all bands have their inspirations what they strive to be like, and that influence can be heard in their music. For the most part, though, bands generally work in the influence of their musical idols around their own style. I can’t say that’s the case for Whiskey Six.

Whiskey Six’s self-titled EP is one of those records that leaves the listener with a feeling of “been there, done that.” The band seems to be aiming for the blues-tinged, southern-hard-rock style, channeling the likes of ZZ Top but, while doing so, Whiskey Six never really finds a sound of their own. Rather than using their musical inspirations to create their own style around, Whiskey Six brought in so much outside influence that it overpowers what could have been something new and different...MORE

Glenton Davis: Are You Ready

I always think it’s interesting when an artist decides to mesh two different music styles together. What’s even more interesting is when an artist combines two styles that you wouldn’t expect to work with each other.

This is exactly what Glenton Davis does, though. Davis fuses R&B with pop, presenting a style that is soulful, while at the same time being up-tempo and danceable.

It’s an unexpected mix, but Davis pulls it off well.

On the four-track album Are You Ready, Davis manages to give a little taste of all the styles he’s incorporating. He moves from the dance track “Go Get on the Floor” to the slower “She Don’t Have to Know,” finally wrapping things up with the mellow “Dangerously in Love 2.” It’s a fluid transition between the songs, and each gives a little bit different side of Davis....MORE

There's a Reason "Shazam" is Part of Their Name...

As I sat down to write this, I said to myself, “Carly, it’s been 2 weeks since you went to Foxy Shazam’s concert. It’s been months since you first heard– and got very excited about–their new album. Why has it taken you this long to get around to finally writing something up about them?” 

Really, I think I’ve just been too overwhelmed by the awesomeness of Foxy Shazam to be able to articulate my feelings about them. But now? I’m ready to give it a go.

First off, if you’ve never heard/heard of Foxy Shazam, you’re missing out. Rarely does a band come along that has so much character in both their recorded music and in their live performances.

Foxy released their 3rd album in April (after being leaked in February), and let me tell you: this is a band that is never going to be able to be pigeon-holed into one particular genre.

On their first album, The Flamingo Trigger, Foxy Shazam had a pop-tinged metal vibe. It was fast, it was frenzied, it was like the musical equivalent of a storm of electrically charged particles whizzing around. In short, it was insanity in the best possible way.

Album number 2, Introducing, took things in a slightly different direction. Moving away from the screams of The Flamingo Trigger, Introducing introduces (heh, see what I did there?) a more piano-centric, punkish sound. And Foxy Shazam pulls it off just as effortlessly as their previous sound.

Now, with their most recent album Foxy Shazam, the boys have changed things up yet again. This time, Foxy has created an amazing blend of cabaret/piano rock glory. It’s a far cry from the frantic chaos of their first album, but, once again, it works unbelievably well. In fact, I will go so far as to say that, on this album, Foxy Shazam comes across like modern-day Queen. It. Is. Fantastic.

I have listened to Foxy Shazam dozens of times, and am more blown away by it with every listen. The entirety of the album is pure gold–there is not a bad song in the bunch. Even when Foxy Shazam puts forth a mellower song, the result still has the same energy behind it as the fast-paced, danceable songs.

And Foxy doesn’t slack in the lyrics department, either. For example, the line “Life is a bitch, but she’s totally do-able” in the song “Bye Bye Symphony,” or “For you I wear this mask, at home I tear it off ’cause I don’t need it,” in the song “Wanna Be Angel,” all about wanting to be seen a certain way by people.

Whether it’s talking about love gone wrong in “Count Me Out,” trying to fit in, or just trucking through life when it gets rough, Foxy Shazam’s lyrics are always making a point–without beating you over the head with that point.

It’s always impressive when a band manages to successfully mix up their sound, but it’s even more impressive when a band a) is constantly experimenting with their style, and b) consistently delivers an outstanding result with each new sound. Foxy Shazam keeps proving their versatility, while consistently putting out music that is fun, energy-packed, and unique from pretty much anything else out there today.

Two weeks ago, I had the long-awaited opportunity to see how well Foxy Shazam could bring their music to the stage. I had heard good things about their live shows, but I wanted to see it for myself.

To say that I was impressed is a huge understatement.

The men of Foxy Shazam were, hands down, some of the best performers I have ever seen. How can you not enjoy a show in which the keyboardist hops on top of his instrument to play it, and the lead singer jumps on top of his shoulders? In live concerts, you often get a frontman who rules the show, while the rest of the band is just sort of in the background.

Not so with Foxy Shazam.

Don’t get me wrong, lead singer/frontman Eric Nally was without a doubt the star of the show, but his bandmates did a superb job keeping pace with him. And that was with Nally jumping into the crowd several times, eating 3 LIT cigarettes, and even scaling the rafters of St. Louis venue Off Broadway.

Nally had no trouble engaging with the audience, and the crowd responded well. There was moshing, dancing, crowd surfing (my own crowd surfing experience at the show left me standing on stage, holding Nally’s hands for a brief moment), and an all around air of heart-pounding excitement. It left me bruised and exhausted, but utterly exhilarated at the same time.

And really, isn’t that the effect we all hope for a show to leave on us?

I don’t know about you, but whenever I hear the word “Shazam” I associate it with two things: superheroes, and a certain sort of “wow” factor. While I’m not sure I can quite stretch the superhero idea to Foxy Shazam, the “wow” factor definitely applies to the guys of Foxy Shazam. Onstage or recorded, Foxy Shazam have an extra oomf to their music and a presence that is rarely found. They are rock stars, and it’s easy to see why “Shazam” is part of their name.

Jess Ray & The Rag Tag Army: Jess Ray & The Rag Tag Army

In case you’ve never noticed, when you rip a CD onto your computer, iTunes will list a genre for that album. With Jess Ray and the Rag Tag Army, iTunes decided that the album fell under the label of “pop.” This could not be more misleading.

When you think of pop, generally the words “soulful,” “mellow” and “heartfelt” don’t really come to mind. But they are definitely words I would use to describe Jess Ray and the Rag Tag Army.

Jess Ray has a voice that will hook you instantly. It’s smooth, it’s strong, it emotional. It is impossible to hear her voice and not feel a connection to the music. Ray’s vocals come across in such a way that it makes you feel as though she is singing to you specifically, and the effect is something really quite beautiful.....MORE